Commerce Appropriations Bill Prohibits Exports to Cuban Military

capitolhillcubans

Last month, the must-pass Transportation Appropriations bill was introduced in the House with language prohibiting the use of confiscated property for new travel -- by airplane or vessels -- to Cuba.

This morning, that language passed the full House Appropriations Committee's markup of the legislation.

The Transportation Appropriations language poses the question:

Should the Castro regime be allowed to use stolen property for its commercial benefit? 

Also this morning, the House Appropriations Committee released its must-pass bill funding the Commerce and Justice Departments ("CJS").

The bill includes a provision ensuring that none of the exports authorized under the Obama Administration's new "Support for the Cuban People" category (under Commerce Department regulations) can be funneled through entities owned or controlled by the Castro regime's military or security services.

The Commerce Appropriations language poses the question:

Should exports to Cuba be funneled through Castro's military and security services? 

Surely, the answer to both is no.

Below is the provision in Commerce Appropriations:

SEC. 540. (a) No funds made available in this Act may be used to facilitate, permit, license, or promote exports to the Cuban military or intelligence service or to any officer of the Cuban military or intelligence service, or an immediate family member thereof.

(b) This section does not apply to exports of goods permitted under the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7201 et seq.).

(c) In this section—

(1) the term ‘‘Cuban military or intelligence service’’ includes, but is not limited to, the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, and the Ministry of the Interior, of Cuba, and any subsidiary of either such Ministry; and

(2) the term ‘‘immediate family member’’ means a spouse, sibling, son, daughter, parent, grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew.