Freedom for Americans to Travel to Cuba Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1287
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Flake, Jeff [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2017-05-25
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Caribbean area

Congressional oversight

Cuba

Latin America

Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents

Travel and tourism
Latest action: action_date: 2017-05-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S3222-3223)

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-05-25
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Freedom for Americans to Travel to Cuba Act of 2017</strong></p> <p>This bill states that: (1) the President may not prohibit or otherwise restrict travel to or from Cuba by U.S. citizens or legal residents, or any of the transactions incident to such travel, including banking transactions; and (2) any law, regulation, or policy in effect on the date of enactment of this bill that prohibits or otherwise restricts such travel or transactions incident to such travel shall cease to have any force or effect. </p> <p>Nothing in this bill may be construed to limit the President's authority to restrict such travel or any transaction incident to such travel if the President determines that such restriction is necessary to protect: (1) U.S. national security, or (2) the health or safety of U.S. citizens or legal residents resulting from traveling to or from Cuba.</p> <p>Prior to restricting travel to Cuba, the President shall submit a written justification to Congress.</p>

tv_txt: II 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1287 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 25, 2017 Mr. Flake (for himself, Mr. Leahy , Mr. Moran , Mr. Durbin , Mr. Enzi , Mr. Udall , Mr. Boozman , Mr. Whitehouse , Ms. Collins , Ms. Klobuchar , Mr. Merkley , Mr. Reed , Ms. Stabenow , Mr. Murphy , Mr. Coons , Mr. Cardin , Mrs. Feinstein , Mrs. Shaheen , Ms. Heitkamp , Mr. Brown , Ms. Baldwin , Ms. Hirono , Mr. Schatz , Mr. Markey , Mrs. McCaskill , Mr. Paul , Mr. Wyden , Mr. Kaine , Mr. King , Mr. Franken , Ms. Warren , Mr. Bennet , Mr. Heinrich , Mr. Sanders , Mr. Tester , Mr. Warner , Ms. Cantwell , Mr. Blumenthal , Mrs. Murray , Mr. Schumer , Mrs. Gillibrand , Mr. Nelson , Mr. Donnelly , Mr. Cassidy , Mr. Peters , Mr. Carper , Mr. Manchin , Mr. Van Hollen , Ms. Harris , Mr. Casey , Mr. Crapo , Ms. Duckworth , Mr. Daines , Ms. Hassan , and Mr. Heller ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations A BILL To allow United States citizens and legal residents to travel between the United States and Cuba.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Freedom for Americans to Travel to Cuba Act of 2017 . 2. Travel to Cuba Subject to section 3, on or after the date of the enactment of this Act— (1) the President may not prohibit or otherwise restrict travel to or from Cuba by United States citizens or legal residents, or any of the transactions incident to such travel, including banking transactions; and (2) any law, regulation, or policy in effect on such date of enactment that prohibits or otherwise restricts travel to or from Cuba by United States citizens or legal residents, or any of the transactions incident to such travel, including banking transactions, shall cease to have any force or effect. 3. Exceptions (a) Savings provision Nothing in this Act may be construed to limit the authority of the President to restrict travel described in section 2, or any transaction incident to such travel, on a case-by-case basis, if the President determines that such restriction— (1) is necessary to protect the national security of the United States; or (2) is necessary to protect the health or safety of United States citizens or legal residents resulting from traveling to or from Cuba. (b) Written justification Not later than 7 days before restricting travel described in section 2 or a transaction incident to such travel, pursuant to the authority referred to in subsection (a), the President shall submit a written justification for such restriction to— (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate ; (2) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate ; (3) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives ; and (4) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives . 4. Inapplicability The provisions of this Act shall apply 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) ).