US Senate passes bill to lift embargo on Cuba

On January 18, US Senator Ron Wyden, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, introduced a bill to lift the embargo against Cuba.

US Senator Ron Wyden said that the effort to isolate Havana is a failed and outdated strategy to punish the Cuban people.

According to the Prensa Latina news agency, Mr. Wyden, a Democrat from the state of Oregon, invoked the US-Cuba Trade Act of 2025 to request "the abolition of outdated sanctions" against Havana, while establishing normal trade relations with the Caribbean island.

The lawmaker, who was the chairman of the US Senate Finance Committee, criticized the effort to isolate Havana as “a failed and outdated strategy to punish the Cuban people and block US influence and investment that could benefit both American farmers, ranchers and Cuban small businesses.”

The proposal, sponsored by Ron Wyden and Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley, reflects the interest of members of the US Congress in achieving normalization of relations and changing policy toward Cuba.

Earlier, in February 2021, Senator Wyden introduced a similar bill, emphasizing that continuing with the (anti-Cuba) mechanisms from the 1960s would be a failure. The US Congress has a responsibility to improve relations between the two countries as quickly as possible.

In 2017, Mr. Wyden introduced another bill to lift unilateral sanctions imposed on Cuba for more than 60 years.

On January 14, US President Joe Biden removed Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, suspending Section 3 of the 2019 Helms-Burton Act that allows US citizens to sue foreign companies or individuals over their assets confiscated by the Cuban government .

The decision also rescinds a 2017 executive order by the previous administration that restricted financial transactions with certain Cubans with ties to the military and government.

The U.S.-Cuba Trade Act would repeal other provisions affecting trade, investment, and travel to Cuba; and establish normal commercial relations with the island nation.

According to the International Trade Commission, easing restrictions on trade and business with Cuba could increase US exports by $1.4 billion per year over the next five years.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/thuong-vien-my-xuat-hien-du-luat-do-bo-bao-vay-cam-van-cuba-301447.html