US lawmakers travel to Cuba amid standoff over jailed American

By Associated Press

HAVANA — A bilateral delegation of American lawmakers led by Sen. Patrick Leahy [photo] is heading to Cuba for two days of meetings.
The trip is the first to the Communist-run island by high-level U.S. politicians since President Barack Obama’s re-election in November.

The visit comes a year after another group of legislators led by the Vermont Democrat came to Cuba and met with Cuban President Raul Castro.

They also visited jailed American subcontractor Alan Gross, whose 15-year sentence has frozen relations between the Cold War enemies.

It was not clear whom the group would be meeting with this time around. They were scheduled to arrive Monday.

The delegation also includes Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake and Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, among others.