Sen. Klobuchar leads effort in U.S. Senate to lift Cuba trade embargo
Sen. Klobuchar leads effort in U.S. Senate to lift Cuba trade embargo
Article by: ALLISON SHERRY , Star Tribune
Updated: February 13, 2015 - 12:53 AM
Minnesota delegation eyes ag, tourism perks.
WASHINGTON – Sen. Amy Klobuchar said on Thursday she is leading a band of senators to lift the Cuban trade embargo — legislation that would eliminate all existing legal barriers for Americans to do business in Cuba.
The proposal builds on a growing set of measures emerging from both chambers since President Obama in December took executive action to open up business, trade and travel relationships with the island 90 miles south of Florida.
“There’s been a sea change in terms of how people are thinking about Cuba,” Klobuchar said Thursday. “I think it’s really important to get people from the Midwest involved. Our interests are different than some of the other people traditionally involved in this issue. … We come at it from a production perspective, from the perspective of wanting to sell things there.”
Minnesota’s delegation, sensing opportunities for the state’s agricultural interests and a desire among city folk to travel to the island, has fingerprints all over efforts to crack open Cuba.
National polls have shown growing support for ending the embargo. Democratic Reps. Collin Peterson, Rick Nolan and Keith Ellison are pushing an effort in the House, and Democratic Rep. Betty McCollum visited the country last summer and recently reintroduced legislation to end funding for American propaganda aimed at Cuban television and radio networks.
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