I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 198 
To waive certain prohibitions with respect to nationals of Cuba coming to 
the United States to play organized professional baseball. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 5, 2021 
Mr. COHEN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 
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 waive certain prohibitions with respect to nationals of 
Cuba coming to the United States to play organized 
professional baseball. 
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 ‘‘Baseball Diplomacy 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. REMOVAL OF CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS. 
(a) RESTRICTION ON EMBARGO AUTHORITY.—The 
authorities of section 620(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:42 Feb 02, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H198.IH
H198
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
of 1961, those authorities under section 5(b) of the Trad-
ing with the Enemy Act that were being exercised with 
respect to Cuba on July 1, 1977, as a result of a national 
emergency declared before that date, and are being exer-
cised on the date of the enactment of this Act, and the 
authorities of section 203 of the International Emergency 
Economic Powers Act may not be exercised to regulate 
or prohibit— 
(1) those transactions permitted under section 
515.571 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, by 
or on behalf of a Cuban national who enters the 
United States from Cuba on a visa issued under sec-
tion 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(b) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act for the purpose of playing organized 
professional baseball; and 
(2) a Cuban national described in paragraph 
(1) from returning to Cuba with the earnings made 
in playing organized professional baseball. 
(b) RESTRICTION ON IMMIGRATION AUTHORITY.— 
The authority contained in section 212(f) of the Immigra-
tion and Nationality Act may not be used to deny a visa 
described in subsection (a)(1) to a Cuban national for the 
purpose of playing organized professional baseball. 
(c) INAPPLICABILITY OF OTHER RESTRICTIONS.— 
This section applies notwithstanding section 102(h) of the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:42 Feb 02, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H198.IH
H198
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) 
Act of 1996. 
SEC. 3. DURATION OF VISA. 
A visa described in section 2(a)(1)— 
(1) shall permit the alien to whom the visa is 
issued to remain in the United States only for the 
duration of the baseball season; and 
(2) need not be renewed for subsequent entries 
into the United States for the duration of a valid 
contract entered into between the alien and the pro-
fessional baseball team with which the alien played 
in the preceding baseball season. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:42 Feb 02, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H198.IH
H198
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS