I
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4856
To normalize trade relations with Cuba, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 13, 2000
Mr. RANGEL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means
A BILL
To normalize trade relations with 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
Trade Act of 2000’’.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING TRADE WITH
CUBA.
(a) FINDINGS.—The 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;
(2) the continuation of the embargo on trade
between the United States and Cuba that was de-
clared in February 1962 is counterproductive, add-
ing to the hardships of the Cuban people while mak-
ing the United States the scapegoat for the failures
of the Communist system;
(3) in the former Soviet Union, the Eastern
bloc countries, China, and Vietnam, the United
States is using economic, cultural, academic, and
scientific engagement to support its policy of pro-
moting democratic and human rights reforms;
(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
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;
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the
Congress that—
(1) the United States should promote demo-
cratic change and economic reform by normalizing
trade relations with Cuba; and
(2) upon the enactment of this Act, it will no
longer be necessary for the United States to con-
tinue to use Article XXI of the GATT 1994 with re-
spect to Cuba, understanding that the President re-
tains full authority to invoke Article XXI of the
GATT 1994 and comparable provisions in other
Uruguay Round Agreements in the future in all ap-
propriate circumstances.
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the terms ‘‘GATT
1994’’ and ‘‘Uruguay Round Agreements’’ have the mean-
ings given those terms in section 2 of the Uruguay Round
Agreements Act.
SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF NONDISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT
TO THE PRODUCTS OF CUBA.
(a) HARMONIZED
TARIFF
SCHEDULE
AMEND-
MENTS.—General note 3(b) of the Harmonized Tariff
Schedule of the United States is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘to section 401 of the Tariff
Classification Act of 1962,’’; and
(2) by striking ‘‘Cuba’’.
(b) REPEAL OF SECTION 401 OF THE TARIFF CLAS-
SIFICATION ACT OF 1962.—Section 401 of the Tariff
Classification Act of 1962 is repealed.
(c) TERMINATION OF APPLICATION OF TITLE IV OF
THE TRADE ACT OF 1974 TO CUBA.—
(1) 
EXTENSION
OF
NONDISCRIMINATORY
TREATMENT.—Nondiscriminatory treatment (normal
trade relations treatment) shall apply to the prod-
ucts of Cuba.
(2) TERMINATION OF APPLICATION OF TITLE
IV.—Title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 shall cease
to apply to Cuba.
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section, and the amend-
ments 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 date
of the enactment of this Act.