[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6962 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6962

      To facilitate the provision of humanitarian relief to Cuba.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 18, 2008

  Mr. Delahunt (for himself, Mr. Flake, Mr. Berman, Mrs. Emerson, Mr. 
McGovern, Mr. LaHood, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Moran of Kansas, Mr. Payne, Mr. 
 Paul, Mr. Farr, Ms. Harman, and Mr. Meeks of New York) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
      To facilitate the provision of humanitarian relief to Cuba.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Humanitarian 
Relief to Cuba Act''.
    (b) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Hurricane Gustav, which struck Cuba on September 1, 
        2008, was the worst hurricane to hit the island of Cuba in over 
        50 years. The Category Four storm displaced over 400,000 Cubans 
        and damaged or destroyed 130,000 homes and caused severe damage 
        to infrastructure.
            (2) Hurricane Ike, which made landfall on Cuba on September 
        7, 2008, forced the evacuation of over 2,500,000 Cubans, 
        damaged an additional 100,000 structures, and damaged local 
        infrastructure.
            (3) The number of Cubans left homeless is expected to reach 
        100,000, and the total economic losses of Hurricanes Gustav and 
        Ike are expected to reach upwards of $10,000,000,000, with 
        serious damage done to the island's agricultural industry.
            (4) In the wake of past natural disasters, the United 
        States eased restrictions to mobilize the generous spirit of 
        many thousands of Americans by allowing humanitarian aid 
        originating from the United States to be transported directly 
        to Cuba to the benefit of the Cuban people.
            (5) Allowing the people of the United States to assist the 
        Cuban people in reclaiming their lives and livelihoods 
        following a major natural disaster just 90 miles from the 
        United States is an important aspect of United States national 
        security and defense policy.

SEC. 2. EASING OF RESTRICTIONS ON TRAVEL TO CUBA FOR A PERIOD OF 180 
              DAYS.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Freedom of travel for united states citizens and 
        certain other persons to visit family members in cuba.--For the 
        180-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this 
        Act, the President may not prohibit or regulate, directly or 
        indirectly--
                    (A) travel to or from Cuba by United States 
                citizens or any person subject to the jurisdiction of 
                the United States with family currently residing in 
                Cuba; or
                    (B) any of the transactions incident to such travel 
                that are described in paragraph (2).
            (2) Transactions incident to travel.--The transactions 
        referred to in paragraph (1) are--
                    (A) any transaction ordinarily incidental to travel 
                to or from Cuba, including the importation into Cuba or 
                the United States of accompanied baggage for personal 
                or family use only;
                    (B) any transaction ordinarily incident to travel 
                to or maintenance within Cuba, including the payment of 
                living expenses and the acquisition of goods or 
                services for personal and family use only; and
                    (C) any transaction ordinarily incident to the 
                arrangement, promotion, or facilitation of scheduled 
                and nonscheduled travel to, from, or within Cuba, 
                including lodging and meals in an amount not to exceed 
                the per diem amount authorized under chapter 57 of 
                title 5, United States Code.
    (b) Supersedes Other Provisions.--This section supersedes any other 
provision of law, including section 102(h) of the Cuban Liberty and 
Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996 (22 U.S.C. 6032(h)).
    (c) Effective Date.--This section applies to actions taken by the 
President before the date of the enactment of this Act that are in 
effect on such date and to actions taken on or after such date during 
the 180-day period beginning on such date of enactment.

SEC. 3. EASING RESTRICTIONS ON REMITTANCES FOR A PERIOD OF 180 DAYS.

    (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), for the 180-
day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of the Treasury may not limit the amount of remittances to 
Cuba that may be made by any person who is subject to the jurisdiction 
of the United States, and the Secretary shall rescind, for such 180-day 
period, all regulations in effect on the date of enactment of this Act 
that so limit the amount of those remittances.
    (b) Statutory Construction.--Nothing in subsection (a) may be 
construed to prohibit the prosecution or conviction of any person 
committing an offense described in section 1956 of title 18, United 
States Code (relating to the laundering of monetary instruments), or 
section 1957 of such title (relating to engaging in monetary 
transactions in property derived from specific unlawful activity).

SEC. 4. EASING RESTRICTIONS ON GIFT OR RELIEF PACKAGES FOR 180 DAYS.

    (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (d), for the 180-
day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
President may not limit the size, quantity or frequency, or the 
carrying, transporting or shipping of personal gift items and relief 
supplies (not for sale or resale) that are eligible to be shipped 
through existing or new mechanisms established expressly for the 
delivery of such packages. Such items and supplies may be sent to Cuba 
by any person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the United States 
and the President shall rescind, for such 180-day period, all 
regulations in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act that so 
limit such items.
    (b) Personal Gift Items.--For purposes of this section, the term 
``personal gift items'' includes goods intended to improve the daily 
life of the Cuban people, including clothing, medication, foodstuffs, 
personal hygiene items, and other daily necessities.
    (c) Relief Supplies.--For the purposes of this section, the term 
``relief supplies'' means any item intended to provide temporary or 
permanent comfort or shelter to hurricane victims in Cuba, or intended 
to facilitate repairs to personal dwellings in Cuba damaged during the 
2008 hurricane season.
    (d) Statutory Construction.--Nothing in subsection (a) may be 
construed to prohibit the prosecution or conviction of any person 
committing an offense described in section 1956 of title 18, United 
States Code (relating to the laundering of monetary instruments), or 
section 1957 of such title (relating to engaging in monetary 
transactions in property derived from specific unlawful activity).
                                 <all>