I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2966 
To lift the trade embargo on Cuba, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 20, 2017 
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 jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To lift the trade embargo on Cuba, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United States-Cuba 
Normalization Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
(1) with the end of the cold war and the col-
lapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba is no longer a threat 
to the United States or the Western Hemisphere; 
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(2) the continuation of the embargo on trade 
between the United States and Cuba that was de-
clared in 1962 is not fulfilling the purpose for which 
it was established; 
(3) in the former Soviet Union, the Eastern 
bloc countries, China, and Vietnam, the United 
States is using diplomatic, economic, cultural, aca-
demic, and scientific engagement to support its pol-
icy of promoting democratic and human rights re-
forms; 
(4) extension to Cuba of unconditional normal 
trade relations treatment would assist Cuba in devel-
oping its economy based on free market principles 
and becoming competitive in the global marketplace; 
(5) the United States can best support demo-
cratic change and human rights in Cuba by pro-
moting trade and commerce, travel, communications, 
and cultural, academic, and scientific exchanges; 
(6) expanding bilateral trade relations is likely 
to promote further progress in Cuba on human 
rights and democratic rule and assist Cuba in adopt-
ing regional and world trading rules and principles; 
and 
(7) Cuba was one of the founding members of 
the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade in 
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1947 and is an original member of the World Trade 
Organization, and extension of unconditional normal 
trade relations treatment to Cuba would enable the 
United States to avail itself of all rights under the 
World Trade Organization with respect to Cuba. 
SEC. 3. REMOVAL OF PROVISIONS RESTRICTING TRADE 
AND OTHER RELATIONS WITH CUBA. 
(a) 
AUTHORITY
FOR
EMBARGO
AND
SUGAR 
QUOTA.—Section 620(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 
1961 (22 U.S.C. 2370(a)) is repealed. 
(b) TRADING WITH THE ENEMY ACT.—The authori-
ties conferred upon the President by section 5(b) of the 
Trading With the Enemy Act, which were being exercised 
with respect to Cuba on July 1, 1977, as a result of a 
national emergency declared by the President before that 
date, and are being exercised on the day before the effec-
tive date of this Act, may not be exercised on or after 
such effective date with respect to Cuba. Any regulations 
in effect on the day before such effective date pursuant 
to the exercise of such authorities shall cease to be effec-
tive on such date. 
(c) EXERCISE OF AUTHORITIES UNDER OTHER PRO-
VISIONS OF LAW.— 
(1) REMOVAL OF PROHIBITIONS.—Any prohibi-
tion on exports to Cuba that is in effect on the day 
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before the effective date of this Act under the Ex-
port Administration Act of 1979 (as continued in ef-
fect under the International Emergency Economic 
Powers Act) shall cease to be effective on such effec-
tive date. 
(2) AUTHORITY FOR NEW RESTRICTIONS.—The 
President may, on and after the effective date of this 
Act— 
(A) impose export controls with respect to 
Cuba under section 5, 6(j), 6(l), or 6(m) of the 
Export Administration Act of 1979 (as contin-
ued in effect under the International Emer-
gency Economic Powers Act); and 
(B) exercise the authorities the President 
has under the International Emergency Eco-
nomic Powers Act with respect to Cuba pursu-
ant to a declaration of national emergency re-
quired by that Act that is made on account of 
an unusual and extraordinary threat, that did 
not exist before the enactment of this Act, to 
the national security, foreign policy, or economy 
of the United States. 
(d) CUBAN DEMOCRACY ACT.—The Cuban Democ-
racy Act of 1992 (22 U.S.C. 6001 and following) is re-
pealed. 
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(e) REPEAL OF CUBAN LIBERTY AND DEMOCRATIC 
SOLIDARITY (LIBERTAD) ACT OF 1996.— 
(1) REPEAL.—The Cuban Liberty and Demo-
cratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996 is re-
pealed. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—(A) Section 
498A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 
U.S.C. 2295a) is amended— 
(i) in subsection (a)(11) by striking ‘‘and 
intelligence facilities, including the military and 
intelligence facilities at Lourdes and Cien-
fuegos,’’ and inserting ‘‘facilities,’’; 
(ii) in subsection (b)— 
(I) in paragraph (4), by adding ‘‘and’’ 
after the semicolon; 
(II) by striking paragraph (5); and 
(III) by redesignating paragraph (6) 
as paragraph (5); and 
(iii) by striking subsection (d). 
(B) Section 498B(k) of the Foreign Assistance 
Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2295b(k)) is amended by 
striking paragraphs (3) and (4). 
(C) Section 1611 of title 28, United States 
Code, is amended by striking subsection (c). 
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(D) Sections 514 and 515 of the International 
Claims Settlement Act of 1949 (22 U.S.C. 1643l 
and 1643m) are repealed. 
(f) TRADE SANCTIONS REFORM AND EXPORT EN-
HANCEMENT ACT OF 2000.—The Trade Sanctions Re-
form and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 
7201 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) 
in 
section 
906(a)(1) 
(22 
U.S.C. 
7205(a)(1))— 
(A) by striking ‘‘Cuba,’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘(other than Cuba)’’ after 
‘‘to the government of a country’’; 
(2) in section 908 (22 U.S.C. 7207)— 
(A) by striking subsection (b); 
(B) in subsection (a)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘PROHIBITION’’ and all 
that 
follows 
through 
‘‘(1) 
IN 
GENERAL.—’’ and inserting ‘‘IN
GEN-
ERAL.—’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘for exports to Cuba 
or’’; 
(iii) by striking paragraph (2); and 
(iv) by redesignating paragraph (3) as 
subsection (b) (and conforming the margin 
accordingly); and 
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(C) in subsection (b) (as redesignated), by 
striking ‘‘paragraph (1)’’ and inserting ‘‘sub-
section (a)’’; 
(3) by striking section 909 (22 U.S.C. 7208); 
(4) by striking section 910 (22 U.S.C. 7209); 
and 
(5) by redesignating section 911 as section 909. 
(g) REPEAL OF PROHIBITION ON TRANSACTIONS OR 
PAYMENTS WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN UNITED STATES 
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.—Section 211 of the Depart-
ment of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations 
Act, 1999 (as contained in section 101(b) of division A 
of Public Law 105–277; 112 Stat. 2681–88) is repealed. 
(h) SUGAR QUOTA PROHIBITION UNDER FOOD SE-
CURITY ACT OF 1985.—Section 902(c) of the Food Secu-
rity Act of 1985 is repealed. 
SEC. 4. TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT AND FACILI-
TIES. 
Any common carrier within the meaning of section 
3 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153) 
is authorized to install, maintain, and repair telecommuni-
cations equipment and facilities in Cuba, and otherwise 
provide telecommunications services between the United 
States and Cuba. The authority of this section includes 
the authority to upgrade facilities and equipment. 
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SEC. 5. TRAVEL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Travel to and from Cuba by indi-
viduals who are citizens or residents of the United States, 
and any transactions ordinarily incident to such travel, 
may not be regulated or prohibited if such travel would 
be lawful in the United States. 
(b) TRANSACTIONS INCIDENT
TO TRAVEL.—Any 
transactions ordinarily incident to travel which may not 
be regulated or prohibited under subsection (a) include, 
but are not limited to— 
(1) transactions ordinarily incident to travel or 
maintenance in Cuba; and 
(2) normal banking transactions involving for-
eign currency drafts, traveler’s checks, or other ne-
gotiable instruments incident to such travel. 
SEC. 6. ONGOING DISCUSSIONS WITH CUBA. 
(a) CLAIMS ISSUES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The President shall take all 
necessary steps to conduct negotiations with the 
Government of Cuba for the purpose of settling 
claims of nationals of the United States against the 
Government of Cuba for the taking of property by 
such government. 
(2) BASIS OF NEGOTIATIONS.—These negotia-
tions should use as their basis the three bilateral 
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meetings between the United States and Cuba held 
between December 2015 and January 2017. 
(b) HUMAN RIGHTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The President shall take all 
necessary steps to engage in bilateral dialogue with 
the Government of Cuba for the purpose of securing 
the protection of internationally recognized human 
rights. 
(2) CONTINUATION OF DIALOGUE.—This bilat-
eral dialogue should be a continuation of the dia-
logue between the United States and Cuba initiated 
in 2016. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the terms 
‘‘national of the United States’’ and ‘‘property’’ have the 
meanings given those terms in section 502 of the Inter-
national Claims Settlement Act of 1949 (22 U.S.C. 
1643a). 
SEC. 
7. 
EXTENSION 
OF 
NONDISCRIMINATORY 
TRADE 
TREATMENT. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—It is the sense of the Con-
gress that— 
(A) the United States should promote 
democratic change and economic reform by nor-
malizing trade relations with Cuba; and 
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(B) upon the enactment of this Act, it will 
no longer be necessary for the United States to 
continue to use article XXI of the GATT 1994 
with respect to Cuba, understanding that the 
President retains full authority to invoke article 
XXI of the GATT 1994 and comparable provi-
sions in other Uruguay Round Agreements in 
the future in all appropriate circumstances. 
(2) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the term 
‘‘GATT 1994’’ and ‘‘Uruguay Round Agreements’’ 
have the meanings given those terms in section 2 of 
the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 
3501). 
(b) EXTENSION
OF NONDISCRIMINATORY TREAT-
MENT TO THE PRODUCTS OF CUBA.— 
(1) HARMONIZED TARIFF SCHEDULE AMEND-
MENTS.—General note 3(b) of the Harmonized Tar-
iff Schedule of the United States is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘to section 401 of the Tar-
iff Classification Act of 1962,’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘Cuba’’. 
(2) REPEAL OF SECTION 401 OF THE TARIFF 
CLASSIFICATION ACT OF 1962.—Section 401 of the 
Tariff Classification Act of 1962 (76 Stat. 78) is re-
pealed. 
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(3) TERMINATION OF APPLICATION OF TITLE IV 
OF THE TRADE ACT OF 1974 TO CUBA.— 
(A) EXTENSION
OF
NONDISCRIMINATORY 
TREATMENT.—Nondiscriminatory 
treatment 
(normal trade relations treatment) shall apply 
to the products of Cuba. 
(B) TERMINATION
OF
APPLICATION
OF 
TITLE IV.—Title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 
(19 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.) shall cease to apply to 
Cuba. 
(4) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section, and the 
amendments and repeal made by this section, shall 
apply with respect to goods entered, or withdrawn 
from warehouse for consumption, on or after the 
15th day after the effective date of this Act. 
(c) REPORT
TO CONGRESS.—The President shall 
submit to the Congress, not later than 18 months after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, a report on trade 
relations between the United States and Cuba. 
SEC. 8. PROHIBITION ON LIMITING ANNUAL REMITTANCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection 
(b), the Secretary of the Treasury may not limit the 
amount of remittances to Cuba that may be made by any 
person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the United 
States, and the Secretary shall rescind all regulations in 
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effect on the date of enactment of this Act that so limit 
the amount of those remittances. 
(b) STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in sub-
section (a) may be construed to prohibit the prosecution 
or conviction of any person committing an offense de-
scribed in section 1956 of title 18, United States Code 
(relating to the laundering of monetary instruments), or 
section 1957 of such title (relating to engaging in mone-
tary transactions in property derived from specific unlaw-
ful activity). 
SEC. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall 
take effect 60 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
Æ 
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