I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3625 

To lift the trade embargo on Cuba, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 28, 2021 

Mr. RUSH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and 

Means, Energy and Commerce, the Judiciary, Agriculture, and Financial 

Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 

each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To lift the trade embargo on Cuba, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United States-Cuba 

5 Relations Normalization Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds that— 

8 (1) the United States can best support demo9 cratic change and human rights in Cuba through bi10 lateral dialogue with the Cuban government and by 


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1 promoting trade and commerce, travel, communica2 tions, and cultural, academic, and scientific ex3 changes; 

4 (2) extension to Cuba of unconditional normal 

5 trade relations treatment would assist Cuba in devel6 oping its economy based on free market principles 

7 and becoming competitive in the global marketplace; 

8 (3) expanding bilateral trade relations is likely 

9 to promote further progress in Cuba on human 

10 rights and democratic rule and assist Cuba in adopt11 ing regional and world trading rules and principles; 

12 and 

13 (4) Cuba was one of the founding members of 

14 the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade in 

15 1947 and is an original member of the World Trade 

16 Organization, and extension of unconditional normal 

17 trade relations treatment to Cuba would enable the 

18 United States to avail itself of all rights under the 

19 World Trade Organization with respect to Cuba. 

20 SEC. 3. REMOVAL OF PROVISIONS RESTRICTING TRADE 

21 AND OTHER RELATIONS WITH CUBA. 

22 (a) AUTHORITY FOR EMBARGO AND SUGAR

23 QUOTA.—Section 620(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 

24 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2370(a)) is repealed. 


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1 (b) TRADING WITH THE ENEMY ACT.—The authori2 ties conferred upon the President by section 5(b) of the 

3 Trading With the Enemy Act (50 U.S.C. 4305(b)), which 

4 were being exercised with respect to Cuba on July 1, 1977, 

5 as a result of a national emergency declared by the Presi6 dent before that date, and are being exercised on the day 

7 before the effective date of this Act, may not be exercised 

8 on or after such effective date with respect to Cuba. Any 

9 regulations in effect on the day before such effective date 

10 pursuant to the exercise of such authorities shall cease to 

11 be effective on such date. 

12 (c) EXERCISE OF AUTHORITIES UNDER OTHER PRO13 VISIONS OF LAW.— 

14 (1) REMOVAL OF PROHIBITIONS.—Any prohibi15 tion on exports to Cuba that is in effect on the day 

16 before the effective date of this Act under the Ex17 port Control Reform Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 4801 

18 et seq.) shall cease to be effective on such effective 

19 date. 

20 (2) AUTHORITY FOR NEW RESTRICTIONS.—The 

21 President may, on and after the effective date of this 

22 Act— 

23 (A) impose export controls with respect to 

24 Cuba under the Export Control Reform Act of 

25 2018 (50 U.S.C. 4801 et seq.); and 


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1 (B) exercise the authorities the President 

2 has under the International Emergency Eco3 nomic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) 

4 with respect to Cuba pursuant to a declaration 

5 of national emergency required by that Act that 

6 is made on account of an unusual and extraor7 dinary threat, that did not exist before the en8 actment of this Act, to the national security, 

9 foreign policy, or economy of the United States. 

10 (d) CUBAN DEMOCRACY ACT.—The Cuban Democ11 racy Act of 1992 (22 U.S.C. 6001 et seq.) is repealed. 

12 (e) REPEAL OF CUBAN LIBERTY AND DEMOCRATIC

13 SOLIDARITY (LIBERTAD) ACT OF 1996.— 

14 (1) REPEAL.—The Cuban Liberty and Demo15 cratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996 (22 

16 U.S.C. 6021 et seq.) is repealed. 

17 (2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—(A) Section 

18 498A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 

19 U.S.C. 2295a) is amended— 

20 (i) in subsection (a)(11) by striking ‘‘and 

21 intelligence facilities, including the military and 

22 intelligence facilities at Lourdes and Cien23 fuegos,’’ and inserting ‘‘facilities,’’; 

24 (ii) in subsection (b)— 


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1 (I) in paragraph (4), by adding ‘‘and’’ 

2 after the semicolon; 

3 (II) by striking paragraph (5); and 

4 (III) by redesignating paragraph (6) 

5 as paragraph (5); and 

6 (iii) by striking subsection (d). 

7 (B) Section 498B(k) of the Foreign Assistance 

8 Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2295b(k)) is amended by 

9 striking paragraphs (3) and (4). 

10 (C) Section 1611 of title 28, United States 

11 Code, is amended by striking subsection (c). 

12 (D) Sections 514 and 515 of the International 

13 Claims Settlement Act of 1949 (22 U.S.C. 1643l 

14 and 1643m) are repealed. 

15 (E) Section 428(c)(2) of the Homeland Security 

16 Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 236(c)(2)) is amended— 

17 (i) by striking subparagraph (K); and 

18 (ii) by redesignating subparagraphs (L) 

19 through (P) as subparagraphs (K) through (O), 

20 respectively. 

21 (F) Section 606 of the Illegal Immigration Re22 form and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 

23 (Public Law 104–208; 8 U.S.C. 1255 note) is re24 pealed. 


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1 (f) TRADE SANCTIONS REFORM AND EXPORT EN2 HANCEMENT ACT OF 2000.—The Trade Sanctions Re3 form and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 

4 7201 et seq.) is amended— 

5 (1) in section 906(a)(1) (22 U.S.C. 

6 7205(a)(1))— 

7 (A) by striking ‘‘Cuba,’’; and 

8 (B) by inserting ‘‘(other than Cuba)’’ after 

9 ‘‘to the government of a country’’; 

10 (2) in section 908 (22 U.S.C. 7207)— 

11 (A) by striking subsection (b); 

12 (B) in subsection (a)— 

13 (i) by striking ‘‘PROHIBITION’’ and all 

14 that follows through ‘‘(1) IN

15 GENERAL.—’’ and inserting ‘‘IN GEN16 ERAL.—’’; 

17 (ii) by striking ‘‘for exports to Cuba 

18 or’’; 

19 (iii) by striking paragraph (2); and 

20 (iv) by redesignating paragraph (3) as 

21 subsection (b) (and conforming the margin 

22 accordingly); and 

23 (C) in subsection (b) (as redesignated), by 

24 striking ‘‘paragraph (1)’’ and inserting ‘‘sub25 section (a)’’; 


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1 (3) by striking section 909 (22 U.S.C. 7208); 

2 (4) by striking section 910 (22 U.S.C. 7209); 

3 and 

4 (5) by redesignating section 911 as section 909. 

5 (g) REPEAL OF PROHIBITION ON TRANSACTIONS OR

6 PAYMENTS WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN UNITED STATES

7 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.—Section 211 of the Depart8 ment of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations 

9 Act, 1999 (as contained in section 101(b) of division A 

10 of Public Law 105–277; 112 Stat. 2681–88) is repealed. 

11 (h) SUGAR QUOTA PROHIBITION UNDER FOOD SE12 CURITY ACT OF 1985.—Section 902(c) of the Food Secu13 rity Act of 1985 is repealed. 

14 SEC. 4. TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT AND FACILI15 TIES. 

16 Any common carrier within the meaning of section 

17 3 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153) 

18 is authorized to install, maintain, and repair telecommuni19 cations equipment and facilities in Cuba, and otherwise 

20 provide telecommunications services between the United 

21 States and Cuba. The authority of this section includes 

22 the authority to upgrade facilities and equipment. 

23 SEC. 5. TRAVEL. 

24 (a) IN GENERAL.—Travel to and from Cuba by indi25 viduals who are citizens or residents of the United States, 


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1 and any transactions ordinarily incident to such travel, 

2 may not be regulated or prohibited if such travel would 

3 be lawful in the United States. 

4 (b) TRANSACTIONS INCIDENT TO TRAVEL.—Any 

5 transactions ordinarily incident to travel which may not 

6 be regulated or prohibited under subsection (a) include, 

7 but are not limited to— 

8 (1) transactions ordinarily incident to travel or 

9 maintenance in Cuba; and 

10 (2) normal banking transactions involving for11 eign currency drafts, traveler’s checks, or other ne12 gotiable instruments incident to such travel. 

13 SEC. 6. ONGOING DISCUSSIONS WITH CUBA. 

14 (a) CLAIMS ISSUES.— 

15 (1) IN GENERAL.—The President shall take all 

16 necessary steps to conduct negotiations with the 

17 Government of Cuba for the purpose of settling 

18 claims of nationals of the United States against the 

19 Government of Cuba for the taking of property by 

20 such government. 

21 (2) BASIS OF NEGOTIATIONS.—These negotia22 tions should use as their basis the three bilateral 

23 meetings between the United States and Cuba held 

24 between December 2015 and January 2017. 

25 (b) HUMAN RIGHTS.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The President shall take all 

2 necessary steps to engage in bilateral dialogue with 

3 the Government of Cuba for the purpose of securing 

4 the protection of internationally recognized human 

5 rights. 

6 (2) CONTINUATION OF DIALOGUE.—This bilat7 eral dialogue should be a continuation of the dia8 logue between the United States and Cuba initiated 

9 in 2016. 

10 (c) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the terms 

11 ‘‘national of the United States’’ and ‘‘property’’ have the 

12 meanings given those terms in section 502 of the Inter13 national Claims Settlement Act of 1949 (22 U.S.C. 

14 1643a). 

15 SEC. 7. EXTENSION OF NONDISCRIMINATORY TRADE 

16 TREATMENT. 

17 (a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.— 

18 (1) IN GENERAL.—It is the sense of the Con19 gress that— 

20 (A) the United States should promote 

21 democratic change and economic reform by nor22 malizing trade relations with Cuba; and 

23 (B) upon the enactment of this Act, it will 

24 no longer be necessary for the United States to 

25 continue to use article XXI of the GATT 1994 


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1 with respect to Cuba, understanding that the 

2 President retains full authority to invoke article 

3 XXI of the GATT 1994 and comparable provi4 sions in other Uruguay Round Agreements in 

5 the future in all appropriate circumstances. 

6 (2) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the term 

7 ‘‘GATT 1994’’ and ‘‘Uruguay Round Agreements’’ 

8 have the meanings given those terms in section 2 of 

9 the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 

10 3501). 

11 (b) EXTENSION OF NONDISCRIMINATORY TREAT12 MENT TO THE PRODUCTS OF CUBA.— 

13 (1) HARMONIZED TARIFF SCHEDULE AMEND14 MENTS.—General note 3(b) of the Harmonized Tar15 iff Schedule of the United States is amended— 

16 (A) by striking ‘‘to section 401 of the Tar17 iff Classification Act of 1962,’’; and 

18 (B) by striking ‘‘Cuba’’. 

19 (2) REPEAL OF SECTION 401 OF THE TARIFF

20 CLASSIFICATION ACT OF 1962.—Section 401 of the 

21 Tariff Classification Act of 1962 (76 Stat. 78; 19 

22 U.S.C. 1351 note) is repealed. 

23 (3) TERMINATION OF APPLICATION OF TITLE IV

24 OF THE TRADE ACT OF 1974 TO CUBA.— 


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1 (A) EXTENSION OF NONDISCRIMINATORY

2 TREATMENT.—Nondiscriminatory treatment 

3 (normal trade relations treatment) shall apply 

4 to the products of Cuba. 

5 (B) TERMINATION OF APPLICATION OF

6 TITLE IV.—Title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 

7 (19 U.S.C. 2431 et seq.) shall cease to apply to 

8 Cuba. 

9 (4) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section, and the 

10 amendments and repeal made by this section, shall 

11 apply with respect to goods entered, or withdrawn 

12 from warehouse for consumption, on or after the 

13 15th day after the effective date of this Act. 

14 (c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The President shall 

15 submit to the Congress, not later than 18 months after 

16 the date of the enactment of this Act, a report on trade 

17 relations between the United States and Cuba. 

18 SEC. 8. PROHIBITION ON LIMITING ANNUAL REMITTANCES. 

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection 

20 (b), the Secretary of the Treasury may not limit the 

21 amount of remittances to Cuba that may be made by any 

22 person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the United 

23 States, and the Secretary shall rescind all regulations in 

24 effect on the date of enactment of this Act that so limit 

25 the amount of those remittances. 


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1 (b) STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in sub2 section (a) may be construed to prohibit the prosecution 

3 or conviction of any person committing an offense de4 scribed in section 1956 of title 18, United States Code 

5 (relating to the laundering of monetary instruments), or 

6 section 1957 of such title (relating to engaging in mone7 tary transactions in property derived from specific unlaw8 ful activity). 

9 SEC. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

10 This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall 

11 take effect 60 days after the date of the enactment of this 

12 Act. 

Æ 


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