Bridges to the Cuban People Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-3422
Sponsor: Rep. Serrano, Jose E. [D-NY-16]
Introduced: 2003-10-30 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Admission of nonimmigrants
Agricultural credit
Agricultural machinery
Agriculture and Food
Agriculture in foreign trade
Aliens
Artists
Arts, Culture, Religion
Athletes
Biotechnology
Caribbean area
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Clergy
Commerce
Conferences
Congress
Congress and foreign policy
Congressional reporting requirements
Copyright
Cuba
Cubans
Department of the Treasury
Disabled
Drug approvals
Drugs
Economic assistance
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Educational exchanges
Elementary and secondary education
Embargo
Entertainers
Export controls
Export finance
Expropriation
Families
Federal aid to education
Fertilizers
Finance and Financial Sector
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Foreign exchange
Foreign students
Foreign trade promotion
Government Operations and Politics
Governmental investigations
Graduate education
Harbors
Health
Higher education
Immigration
Import restrictions
Intellectual property
Latin America
Law
Legislation
Medical supplies
Merchant ships
Money
Motion pictures
Patients' rights
Postal service
President and foreign policy
Prosthesis
Religion
Right to travel
Sanctions (International law)
Scholarships
Science, Technology, Communications
Scientists
Self-help devices for the disabled
Social sciences
Sound recording and reproducing
Sports and Recreation
Teachers
Television industry
Trademarks
Trading with the enemy
Transportation and Public Works
Visas

Summary:
action_date: 2003-10-30
text: 
Bridges to the Cuban People Act of 2003 - Exempts from the embargo on trade with Cuba (including prohibitions under the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 against the unloading at a U.S. port of vessels that previously entered a Cuban port to engage in trade) the export of any agricultural commodity, farm machinery or equipment, medicine, medical device, assistive technology device, personal care products, or products intended for the exclusive use by children, or any travel incident to the sale or delivery of such items.
 
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to study and report on export promotion and credit programs for Cuba.
 
Prohibits the President from prohibiting or regulating travel to or from or within Cuba by U.S. nationals or lawful resident aliens, including specified transactions ordinarily incident to such travel, financial or otherwise. 
Authorizes the President to provide scholarships, with funds under the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 for Cuban nationals who seek to undertake graduate study in public health, public policy, economics, law, or other field of social science. 
Authorizes the President to waive certain sanctions against, and restrictions on assistance to, Cuba, including the exclusion from the United States of certain aliens who have confiscated property in Cuba of U.S. nationals or who traffic in such property, if he determines that it will promote the peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba or will further U.S. national economic interests. 
Prohibits the Secretary of the Treasury from limiting the amount of remittances to Cuba that any U.S. person may make. 
Authorizes the import into the United States of a Cuban-originated medical article if the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines that there is a medical need in the United States for such article that is not being met by any medicine or medical device in commercial distribution in the United States. 
Repeals a prohibition, under the Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999, on certain transactions or payments with respect to U.S. intellectual property. 
Requires the U.S. Postal Service to provide direct mail service to and from Cuba. 
Amends the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002 to provide for expedited security checks for certain visiting Cubans. 
Prohibits the President from regulating or prohibiting travel to, from, or within Cuba by U.S. persons for the purpose of engaging in or financing motion picture or television projects, or engaging in music recording projects, or any transactions incidental to such travel. 
Removes certain restrictions under specified Federal laws in order to allow Cuban nationals to come to the United States to play organized professional sports.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-12-10
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims.
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Rural Development and Research.
action_date: 2003-11-12
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
action_date: 2003-10-30
text: Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Financial Services, Government Reform, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, 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.
action_date: 2003-10-30
text: Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Financial Services, Government Reform, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, 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.
action_date: 2003-10-30
text: Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Financial Services, Government Reform, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, 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.
action_date: 2003-10-30
text: Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Financial Services, Government Reform, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, 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.
action_date: 2003-10-30
text: Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Financial Services, Government Reform, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, 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.
action_date: 2003-10-30
text: Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Financial Services, Government Reform, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, 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.
action_date: 2003-10-30
text: Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Financial Services, Government Reform, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means, 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.
action_date: 2003-10-30
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-10-30
text: Introduced in House