Petition requests Obama lift travel restrictions to Cuba

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I feel like a yo-yo. Every time things look rosy for passage of congressional bills to end the unconstitutional travel restrictions vis-a-vis Cuba, my hopes are dashed. Or at least put on hold.

Two months ago, I blogged enthusiastically about approval by the House Subcommittee on Agriculture of a bill to end all restrictions. At the time, it looked as if the bill might be presented to the full House for a vote within days. Now the bill is stalled.

Last week, I blogged enthusiastically about news that President Obama intends soon to restore Clinton-era people-to-people travel provisions that would greatly expand opportunities for educational and cultural travel. It could happen as early as this week. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Throwing salt over my shoulder. Looking for black cats to cross my path.

Current U.S. law grants the President the ability to adjust the restrictions to enable non-"tourist" travel, not lift the restrictions entirely. That is the prerogative of Congress.

Why would Obama liberalize current restrictions? Not least, as my acquaintance John McAuliff, founder and Executive Director of the Fund for Reconciliation and Development, pointed out in his excellent piece on the theme in the Huffington Post, "It has obligated itself to respond to Cuba's ongoing release of 'Black Spring' prisoners. Half of those who were still imprisoned since 2004 have already been freed."

If the White House takes the path of least resistance and merely reinstates Clinton's regulations, travel to Cuba would still be burdened by the need for time consuming and costly case-by-case applications subject to the yea-or-nay whim of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (the division of the Treasury Department that oversees Cuba regulations). In a best case scenario, Obama could replicate what he did in 2008 for Cuban American family visits and lift restrictions on the remaining eleven categories of non-tourist travel, making them "general license" categories that require no pre-approval.

John McAuliff is at the very forefront of efforts to end the ludicrous, unproductive, and unconstitutional restrictions on travel to Cuba. "Under general licenses," John notes, "travel could be freely organized by schools, cultural institutions, Chambers of Commerce, religious bodies, World Affairs Councils, humanitarian organizations, advocacy groups and other not-for-profit organizations. Tens of thousands of seriously interested Americans can meet their Cuban counterparts and create mutual understanding and trust, needed in both countries."

Among other things, he urges the Obama administration to do away with Travel Service Providers so the whole industry can become involved. (Currently only a relatively small number of tour companies, etc. are licensed as TSPs to provide travel services to Cuba.)

Last weekend five powerful Cuban Americans in the House and Senate wrote to the President disputing his authority to allow non-tourist travel.

If you care about your constitutional rights, and if you care that a small group of self-interested Cuban-Americans (they even opposed lifting restrictions for Cuban Americans wishing to visit family in Cuba) is defiantly refusing to honor them, then I urge you to sign the Freedom to Travel petition TODAY!

For further information about travel in Cuba, buy Moon Cuba

For further information on Havana, buy Moon Spotlight Havana.

Buy a softback copy of Mi Moto Fidel: Motorcycling Through Castro's Cuba, or order an autographed hardback direct from the author.

Disclosure: I occasionally accept free or discounted travel when it coincides with my editorial goals. However, my opinion is never for sale. The opinions you see in Cuba & Costa Rica Journal are my unbiased reflection of the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Copyright © Christopher P. Baker