Export Freedom to Cuba Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-634
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Rangel, Charles B. [D-NY-13]
Introduced: 2015-02-02
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Caribbean area

Cuba

Latin America

Travel and tourism
Latest action: action_date: 2015-02-11
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-02-02
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Export Freedom to Cuba Act of 2015</strong></p> <p>Prohibits the President from regulating or prohibiting travel to or from Cuba by U.S. citizens or legal residents, or any of the transactions ordinarily incident to such travel, if such travel would be lawful in the United States, relating to: (1) accompanied personal baggage; (2) payment of living expenses and the acquisition of personal-use goods or services; (3) travel arrangements; (4) nonscheduled air, sea, or land voyage transactions (such provision does not permit the carriage of articles other than accompanied baggage into Cuba or the United States); and (5) normal banking transactions. </p> <p> States that such restrictions on authority shall not apply if: (1) the United States is at war with Cuba, or armed hostilities between the two countries are in progress; or (2) there is imminent danger to the public health or the physical safety of U.S. travelers.</p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 634 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 2, 2015 Mr. Rangel (for himself, Ms. Norton , Ms. Jackson Lee , Mr. Meeks , Mr. Pocan , Mr. Johnson of Georgia , Mr. Ellison , Ms. Lee , Mr. Thompson of Mississippi , Mr. Conyers , Mr. Peterson , Ms. Bass , Mr. Nolan , Mr. Polis , Mr. Cohen , Mr. Clay , Mr. Fattah , Mr. Serrano , and Ms. Schakowsky ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs A BILL To allow travel between the United States and Cuba.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Export Freedom to Cuba Act of 2015 . 2. Travel to Cuba (a) Freedom of travel for United States citizens and legal residents Subject to section 3, travel to and from Cuba by individuals who are citizens or residents of the United States, and any transactions incident to such travel as specified in subsection (b), may not be regulated or prohibited if such travel would be lawful in the United States. (b) Transactions incident to travel The transactions referred to in subsection (a) include, but are not limited to— (1) any transactions ordinarily incident to travel to or from Cuba, including the importation into Cuba or the United States of accompanied baggage for personal use only; (2) any transactions ordinarily incident to travel or maintenance within Cuba, including the payment of living expenses and the acquisition of goods or services for personal use; (3) any transactions ordinarily incident to the arrangement, promotion, or facilitation of travel to, from, or within Cuba; (4) any transactions incident to nonscheduled air, sea, or land voyages, except that this paragraph does not authorize the carriage of articles into Cuba or the United States except accompanied baggage; and (5) normal banking transactions incident to the activities described in the preceding provisions of this subsection, including the issuance, clearing, processing, or payment of checks, drafts, travelers checks, credit or debit card instruments, or similar instruments. 3. Exception The restrictions on authority described in section 2 shall not apply in a case in which— (1) the United States is at war with Cuba; (2) armed hostilities between the two countries are in progress; or (3) there is imminent danger to the public health or the physical safety of United States travelers. 4. Applicability This Act applies to actions taken by the President before the date of the enactment of this Act which are in effect on such date, and to actions taken on or after such date. 5. Inapplicability of other provisions This Act applies notwithstanding section 102(h) of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996 ( 22 U.S.C. 6032(h) ) and section 910(b) of the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 ( 22 U.S.C. 7209(b) ).