I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3182 
To allow United States persons to participate in energy development offshore 
from Cuba and other nearby countries. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 25, 2007 
Mr. UDALL of Colorado introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on 
Ways and Means, 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 allow United States persons to participate in energy 
development offshore from Cuba and other nearby countries. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE, FINDINGS, AND PURPOSE. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘U.S. Participation in Cuban Energy Exploration Act of 
2007’’. 
(b) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds: 
(1) Current Federal laws and policies bar 
United States nationals, including United States 
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companies, from taking part in exploration for and 
development of energy resources in areas where such 
activities are controlled by the Government of Cuba. 
(2) Other countries do not impose the same re-
striction on people and companies subject to their 
jurisdiction, so the restriction penalizes United 
States nationals and companies without affecting the 
ability of the Cuban Government to benefit from 
those exploration and development activities. 
(3) It is in the national interest for United 
States nationals, including United States companies, 
to be able to compete for the opportunity to develop 
those resources if the Government of Cuba decides 
to allow such development and if the development is 
done in a manner consistent with protection of the 
environment. 
(c) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to allow 
United States nationals, including United States compa-
nies, to take part in exploration for and development of 
energy resources in offshore areas near Cuba and in other 
similar offshore areas outside of but contiguous to the ex-
clusive economic zone of the United States. 
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SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF ACTIVITIES AND EXPORTS IN-
VOLVING 
HYDROCARBON 
RESOURCES 
BY 
UNITED STATES PERSONS. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—Notwithstanding the provi-
sions of law referred to in subsection (b), and subject to 
subsection (c), United States persons (including agents 
and affiliates of those United States persons) may— 
(1) engage in any transaction necessary for the 
exploration for and extraction of hydrocarbon re-
sources from any portion of a foreign exclusive eco-
nomic zone that is contiguous to the exclusive eco-
nomic zone of the United States; 
(2) export without license authority all equip-
ment necessary for the exploration for or extraction 
of hydrocarbon resources described in paragraph (1); 
and 
(3) import into the United States hydrocarbon 
resources extracted under the authority of this sec-
tion, and products thereof. 
(b) PROVISIONS OF LAW INAPPLICABLE.—The provi-
sions of law referred to in subsection (a) are— 
(1) section 620(a) of the Foreign Assistance 
Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2370(a)); 
(2) the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Soli-
darity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996 (22 U.S.C. 6021 
et seq.); 
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(3) the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 (22 
U.S.C. 6001 et seq.); 
(4) part 515 of title 31, Code of Federal Regu-
lations (Cuban Assets Control Regulations); and 
(5) any other law, Executive order, or regula-
tion prohibiting exports to or imports from Cuba, or 
transactions in property in which a Cuban national 
has an interest. 
(c) APPLICABILITY
OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS.— 
Any exploration for or extraction of hydrocarbon resources 
by a United States person within an area described in sub-
section (a)(1) shall be subject to the same laws, rules, and 
regulations for the protection of fish, wildlife, and the en-
vironment that are applicable to such activities within the 
exclusive economic zone of the United States. 
SEC. 3. TRAVEL IN CONNECTION WITH AUTHORIZED HY-
DROCARBON EXPLORATION AND EXTRAC-
TION ACTIVITIES. 
(a) GENERAL LICENSE AUTHORITY FOR TRAVEL-RE-
LATED EXPENDITURES BY PERSONS ENGAGING IN HY-
DROCARBON EXPLORATION
AND EXTRACTION ACTIVI-
TIES.—The Secretary of the Treasury shall authorize 
under a general license the travel-related transactions list-
ed in section 515.560(c) of title 31, Code of Federal Regu-
lations, for travel to, from, or within Cuba in connection 
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with exploration for and the extraction of hydrocarbon re-
sources in any part of a foreign maritime exclusive eco-
nomic zone that is contiguous to the exclusive economic 
zone of the United States. 
(b) PERSONS AUTHORIZED.—Persons authorized to 
travel to Cuba under this section include full-time employ-
ees, executives, agents, and consultants of producers, dis-
tributors, and shippers of hydrocarbon resources. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act— 
(1) the term ‘‘exclusive economic zone of the 
United States’’ means the exclusive economic zone of 
the United States established by Proclamation 5030 
of March 10, 1983 (16 U.S.C. 1453 note); 
(2) the term ‘‘foreign exclusive economic zone’’ 
means an economic zone contiguous to the territorial 
sea of a foreign country that is asserted by the gov-
ernment of that country; and 
(3) the term ‘‘United States person’’ means— 
(A) any United States citizen or alien law-
fully admitted for permanent residence in the 
United States; and 
(B) any person other than an individual, if 
1 or more individuals described in subpara-
graph (A) own or control at least 51 percent of 
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the securities or other equity interest in that 
person. 
Æ 
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