United States-Cuba Relations Normalization Act
Bill: H.R.3625 | Sponsor: Rep. Rush, Bobby L. (D-IL)
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
United States-Cuba Relations Normalization Act
This bill repeals the trade embargo on Cuba and other provisions restricting trade and travel to Cuba.
The bill also (1) removes restrictions on certain transactions related to trademarks used in connection with a confiscated business or asset, (2) extends nondiscriminatory trade treatment to Cuban products, and (3) prohibits and rescinds limits on remittances to Cuba.
The President may, in relation to Cuba, impose new export controls and exercise powers related to declared national emergencies.
The bill authorizes common carriers to provide telecommunications services between the United States and Cuba. Travel by U.S. citizens and residents to Cuba may not be regulated or prohibited if such travel would be lawful in the United States.
The President shall take all necessary steps to engage with Cuba to (1) negotiate settlements relating to claims that Cuba had taken the property of U.S. nationals, and (2) secure the protection of internationally recognized human rights.

To lift the trade embargo on Cuba, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``United States-Cuba Relations 
Normalization Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) the United States can best support democratic change 
        and human rights in Cuba through bilateral dialogue with the 
        Cuban government and by promoting trade and commerce, travel, 
        communications, and cultural, academic, and scientific 
        exchanges;
            (2) extension to Cuba of unconditional normal trade 
        relations treatment would assist Cuba in developing its economy 
        based on free market principles and becoming competitive in the 
        global marketplace;
            (3) expanding bilateral trade relations is likely to 
        promote further progress in Cuba on human rights and democratic 
        rule and assist Cuba in adopting regional and world trading 
        rules and principles; and
            (4) 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.

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 authorities conferred upon the 
President by section 5(b) of the Trading With the Enemy Act (50 U.S.C. 
4305(b)), 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 
effective 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 effective on such date.
    (c) Exercise of Authorities Under Other Provisions of Law.--
            (1) Removal of prohibitions.--Any prohibition on exports to 
        Cuba that is in effect on the day before the effective date of 
        this Act under the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 
        4801 et seq.) shall cease to be effective 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 the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 
                4801 et seq.); and
                    (B) exercise the authorities the President has 
                under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act 
                (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) with respect to Cuba pursuant 
                to a declaration of national emergency required 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 Democracy Act of 1992 (22 
U.S.C. 6001 et seq.) is repealed.
    (e) Repeal of Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) 
Act of 1996.--
            (1) Repeal.--The Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity 
        (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996 (22 U.S.C. 6021 et seq.) is repealed.
            (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 Cienfuegos,'' 
                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).
            (D) Sections 514 and 515 of the International Claims 
        Settlement Act of 1949 (22 U.S.C. 1643l and 1643m) are 
        repealed.
            (E) Section 428(c)(2) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 
        (6 U.S.C. 236(c)(2)) is amended--
                    (i) by striking subparagraph (K); and
                    (ii) by redesignating subparagraphs (L) through (P) 
                as subparagraphs (K) through (O), respectively.
            (F) Section 606 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and 
        Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-208; 8 
        U.S.C. 1255 note) is repealed.
    (f) Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000.--The 
Trade Sanctions Reform 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 General.--'';
                            (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
                    (C) in subsection (b) (as redesignated), by 
                striking ``paragraph (1)'' and inserting ``subsection 
                (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 
Department 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 Security Act of 1985.--
Section 902(c) of the Food Security Act of 1985 is repealed.

SEC. 4. TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES.

    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 telecommunications 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.

SEC. 5. TRAVEL.

    (a) In General.--Travel to and from Cuba by individuals 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 foreign currency 
        drafts, traveler's checks, or other negotiable 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 negotiations should use 
        as their basis the three bilateral 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 bilateral dialogue 
        should be a continuation of the dialogue 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 International 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 Congress that--
                    (A) the United States should promote democratic 
                change and economic reform by normalizing trade 
                relations with Cuba; and
                    (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 provisions 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 Treatment to the Products of 
Cuba.--
            (1) Harmonized tariff schedule amendments.--General note 
        3(b) of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is 
        amended--
                    (A) by striking ``to section 401 of the Tariff 
                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; 19 U.S.C. 1351 note) is repealed.
            (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. 2431 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 effect on the date of enactment of this Act that so limit the amount 
of those remittances.
    (b) Statutory Construction.--Nothing in subsection (a) may be 
construed to prohibit the prosecution or conviction of any person 
committing an offense described 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 monetary 
transactions in property derived from specific unlawful 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.
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