I 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6962 
To facilitate the provision of humanitarian relief to Cuba. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 18, 2008 
Mr. DELAHUNT (for himself, Mr. FLAKE, Mr. BERMAN, Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. 
MCGOVERN, Mr. LAHOOD, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. MORAN of Kansas, Mr. 
PAYNE, Mr. PAUL, Mr. FARR, Ms. HARMAN, and Mr. MEEKS of New 
York) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To facilitate the provision of humanitarian relief to Cuba. 
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. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Humanitarian Relief to Cuba Act’’. 
(b) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) Hurricane Gustav, which struck Cuba on 
September 1, 2008, was the worst hurricane to hit 
the island of Cuba in over 50 years. The Category 
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Four storm displaced over 400,000 Cubans and 
damaged or destroyed 130,000 homes and caused 
severe damage to infrastructure. 
(2) Hurricane Ike, which made landfall on 
Cuba on September 7, 2008, forced the evacuation 
of over 2,500,000 Cubans, damaged an additional 
100,000 structures, and damaged local infrastruc-
ture. 
(3) The number of Cubans left homeless is ex-
pected to reach 100,000, and the total economic 
losses of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike are expected to 
reach upwards of $10,000,000,000, with serious 
damage done to the island’s agricultural industry. 
(4) In the wake of past natural disasters, the 
United States eased restrictions to mobilize the gen-
erous spirit of many thousands of Americans by al-
lowing humanitarian aid originating from the United 
States to be transported directly to Cuba to the ben-
efit of the Cuban people. 
(5) Allowing the people of the United States to 
assist the Cuban people in reclaiming their lives and 
livelihoods following a major natural disaster just 90 
miles from the United States is an important aspect 
of United States national security and defense pol-
icy. 
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SEC. 2. EASING OF RESTRICTIONS ON TRAVEL TO CUBA 
FOR A PERIOD OF 180 DAYS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) FREEDOM OF TRAVEL FOR UNITED STATES 
CITIZENS AND CERTAIN OTHER PERSONS TO VISIT 
FAMILY MEMBERS IN CUBA.—For the 180-day pe-
riod beginning on the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the President may not prohibit or regulate, di-
rectly or indirectly— 
(A) travel to or from Cuba by United 
States citizens or any person subject to the ju-
risdiction of the United States with family cur-
rently residing in Cuba; or 
(B) any of the transactions incident to 
such travel that are described in paragraph (2). 
(2) TRANSACTIONS
INCIDENT
TO
TRAVEL.— 
The transactions referred to in paragraph (1) are— 
(A) any transaction ordinarily incidental to 
travel to or from Cuba, including the importa-
tion into Cuba or the United States of accom-
panied baggage for personal or family use only; 
(B) any transaction ordinarily incident to 
travel to or maintenance within Cuba, including 
the payment of living expenses and the acquisi-
tion of goods or services for personal and family 
use only; and 
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(C) any transaction ordinarily incident to 
the arrangement, promotion, or facilitation of 
scheduled and nonscheduled travel to, from, or 
within Cuba, including lodging and meals in an 
amount not to exceed the per diem amount au-
thorized under chapter 57 of title 5, United 
States Code. 
(b) SUPERSEDES OTHER PROVISIONS.—This section 
supersedes any other provision of law, including section 
102(h) of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity 
(LIBERTAD) Act of 1996 (22 U.S.C. 6032(h)). 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section applies to ac-
tions taken by the President before the date of the enact-
ment of this Act that are in effect on such date and to 
actions taken on or after such date during the 180-day 
period beginning on such date of enactment. 
SEC. 3. EASING RESTRICTIONS ON REMITTANCES FOR A 
PERIOD OF 180 DAYS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection 
(b), for the 180-day period beginning on the date of the 
enactment of this Act, 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, for 
such 180-day period, all regulations in effect on the date 
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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. 4. EASING RESTRICTIONS ON GIFT OR RELIEF PACK-
AGES FOR 180 DAYS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection 
(d), for the 180-day period beginning on the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the President may not limit the 
size, quantity or frequency, or the carrying, transporting 
or shipping of personal gift items and relief supplies (not 
for sale or resale) that are eligible to be shipped through 
existing or new mechanisms established expressly for the 
delivery of such packages. Such items and supplies may 
be sent to Cuba by any person who is subject to the juris-
diction of the United States and the President shall re-
scind, for such 180-day period, all regulations in effect 
on the date of the enactment of this Act that so limit such 
items. 
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