Introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives on Feb. 4, the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act may lift America’s current ban on travel to Cuba – a measure which has been in effect since 1963.
The current ban, firmly supported by former U.S. President George W. Bush, makes few allowances for Americans to travel to Cuba. Aside from journalists and researchers, exceptions are currently made for Cuban-Americans who may only return home to visit direct relatives once every three years. Those who don’t have direct relatives must obtain special authorization from the Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Current U.S. President Barrack Obama has a more receptive stance regarding Cuba.
“We’ve been engaged in a failed policy with Cuba for the last 50 years,” Obama said to a crowd in Miami during his presidential campaign this past year. He also expressed a willingness to meet with Cuba’s president, Raúl Castro, to discuss the future directions of the two countries.
The result of bi-partisan efforts between democrats and republicans, the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act would allow all Americans to travel freely to Cuba and may signify a step in the right direction between two countries that have been at odds for almost 50 years.