[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1644 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1644

 To provide the people of Cuba with access to food and medicines from 
               the United States, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 29, 1999

    Mr. Serrano (for himself, Mr. Leach, Mr. Allen, Mr. Barrett of 
 Wisconsin, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Boucher, Mr. Brown of California, Mr. 
Campbell, Mr. Clay, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Delahunt, 
     Mr. Dooley of California, Mr. English, Mr. Evans, Mr. Farr of 
 California, Mr. Hilliard, Mr. John, Ms. Kilpatrick, Mr. LaFalce, Mr. 
Lampson, Ms. Lee, Ms. Lofgren, Mrs. Lowey, Mr. McDermott, Mr. McGovern, 
  Ms. McKinney, Mrs. Maloney of New York, Mr. Meeks of New York, Mr. 
   George Miller of California, Mr. Minge, Mr. Moakley, Mr. Moran of 
 Virginia, Mr. Moran of Kansas, Mrs. Morella, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Neal of 
 Massachusetts, Mr. Nethercutt, Mr. Ney, Mr. Oberstar, Mr. Olver, Ms. 
Pelosi, Ms. Rivers, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Mr. Rush, Mr. Shays, Mr. Stark, 
 Ms. Waters, and Ms. Woolsey) introduced the following bill; which was 
 referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition 
   to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide the people of Cuba with access to food and medicines from 
               the United States, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Cuban Food and Medicine Security Act 
of 1999''.

SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON PROHIBITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS ON TRADE WITH CUBA 
              TO ALLOW FOR THE EXPORT OF FOOD AND MEDICINES TO CUBA.

    Notwithstanding section 620(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 
1961 (22 U.S.C. 2370(a)(1)) or any other provision of law (except 
section 3 of this Act), the prohibition or restriction on trade or 
financial transactions with Cuba shall not apply with respect to the 
export of any food and other agricultural products (including 
fertilizer), medicines, medical supplies, medical instruments, or 
medical equipment, or with respect to travel incident to the sale or 
delivery of food and other agricultural products (including 
fertilizer), medicines, medical supplies, medical instruments, or 
medical equipment, to Cuba.

SEC. 3. LIMITATION ON EXCEPTION TO ALLOW FOR THE EXPORT OF FOOD AND 
              MEDICINES TO CUBA.

    Section 2 of this Act shall not apply--
            (1) with respect to restrictions imposed under section 5 of 
        the Export Administration Act of 1979 for goods containing 
        parts or components on which export controls are in effect 
        under that section; and
            (2) with respect to section 203 of the International 
        Emergency Economic Powers Act, to the extent the authorities 
        under that section are exercised to deal with a threat to the 
        national security of the United States by virtue of the 
        technology incorporated in such instruments or equipment.

SEC. 4. STUDY AND REPORT RELATING TO EXPORT PROMOTION AND CREDIT 
              PROGRAMS FOR CUBA.

    Title IV of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5661 et 
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 418. STUDY AND REPORT RELATING TO EXPORT PROMOTION AND CREDIT 
              PROGRAMS FOR CUBA.

    ``(a) Study.--The Secretary shall carry out a study of existing 
United States agricultural export promotion and credit programs to 
determine how such programs can be carried out to promote the 
consumption of United States agricultural commodities in Cuba.
    ``(b) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to 
the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a 
report containing--
            ``(1) the results of the study carried out under subsection 
        (a); and
            ``(2) proposed legislation, if any, to improve the ability 
        of the Secretary to utilize United States agricultural export 
        promotion and credit programs with respect to the consumption 
        of United States agricultural commodities in Cuba.''.

SEC. 5. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the President shall transmit to the Congress a report that sets 
forth--
            (1) the extent (expressed in volume and dollar amounts) of 
        sales to Cuba of food and other agricultural products 
        (including fertilizer), medicines, medical supplies, medical 
        instruments, and medical equipment, since the enactment of this 
        Act;
            (2) a description of the types and end users of the goods 
        so exported; and
            (3) whether there has been any indication that any 
        medicines, medical supplies, medical instruments, or medical 
        equipment exported to Cuba since the enactment of this Act--
                    (A) have been used for purposes of torture or other 
                human rights abuses;
                    (B) were reexported; or
                    (C) were used in the production of any 
                biotechnological product.
                                 <all>