I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 229
To lift the trade embargo on Cuba, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 6, 1999
Mr. RANGEL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Commit-
tee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committees on
Ways and Means, Commerce, and Government Reform, for a period to
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction 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 ‘‘Free Trade With Cuba
Act’’.
SEC. 2. 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;
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(2) the continuation of the embargo on trade
between the United States and Cuba that was de-
clared in February of 1962 is counterproductive,
adding to the hardships of the Cuban people while
making the United States the scapegoat for the fail-
ures 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; and
(4) the United States can best support demo-
cratic change in Cuba by promoting trade and com-
merce, travel, communications, and cultural, aca-
demic, and scientific exchanges.
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1961 (22 U.S.C. 2370(a)) is repealed.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
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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
before the effective date of this Act under the Ex-
port Administration Act of 1979 shall cease to be ef-
fective on such effective 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, and
(B) exercise the authorities he has under
the International Emergency Economic Powers
Act with respect to Cuba pursuant to a declara-
tion of national emergency required by that Act
that is made on account of an unusual and ex-
traordinary threat, that did not exist before the