Earlier this year, the Obama Administration finally announced plans to lift some government-imposed restrictions on travel to Cuba for several categories of U.S. citizens, including college students, journalists, and religious organizations.
Just last week, the U.S. Customs and Border Protections gave the Oakland International Airport authorization to offer nonstop charter passenger service to Cuba as early as December. This recent decision will make it easier for Global Exchange to offer direct flights to Havana for our Cuba Reality Tours delegations from the West Coast.
However, with all this good news, the reality of traveling to Cuba could be at serious risk. Tomorrow, the House Appropriations Committee is meeting first thing in the morning, and Cuba may come up. According to our friends at the Latin American Working Group,
Opponents of exchange with Cuba will likely offer amendments to the financial services appropriations bill that will reverse the changes the President has made during his term in office – which has allowed travel by Cuban-American families, students and professors, religious groups, academics, musicians.
We can’t let this happen.
If your representative is a member of the Appropriations Committee, ask your representative to vote against ANY amendment that tightens travel restrictions. Send them an e-mail now.
Send a message to your representative today and help retain the progress that has been made in easing travel to Cuba.
Oakland International Airport charter flights could take off just in time for our Cuba New Years Delegations! Register for one of our Cuba delegations today, and you will qualify to receive a $150 discount. Just mention this blog post.
Together we can work to promote the normalization of U.S./Cuba relations through people-to-people ties with Cuba.