Congressional delegation trip to Cuba called ‘productive’

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called the two days of meetings this week in Havana with Cuban government officials “very productive.”    House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called the two days of meetings this week in Havana between a U.S. congressional delegation and Cuban government officials “very productive” during a press conference on Thursday.
   “We were very positively impressed by what we heard here about the future prospects of our relationship, because that is really what this visit is about: it’s about how we go forward,” Pelosi said.
   Much of the talks centered on expanding telecommunications and Internet connections between the two countries.
   The congressional delegation arrived in Havana on Feb. 17, two months to the day of the White House’s announcement that it would take several steps toward normalizing relations with Cuba. The action, however, does not lift the existing trade embargo on Cuba, which dates back to Eisenhower administration. In 1996, Congress passed the Helms-Burton amendment to codify the trade embargo.
   When asked if the United States may lift its trade embargo with Cuba, Pelosi said, “I do believe that there is strong bipartisan support in the Congress of the United States to lift the embargo. And that, I think, will open the door to much more progress on this issue.  
   “I also think that it would be important for us to move as quickly as possible – when I say quickly as possible, I don’t know how long that will take – but to move in a positive way to remove Cuba from the list of concerned states,” she said.
   In mid-January, several changes to U.S. sanctions policy against Cuba took effect. New regulations from the Treasury and Commerce departments allow exports of consumer technology products, Cuban products to be purchased by U.S. citizens, and ease restrictions on insurance, travel, telecommunications and financial services.
   In addition, foreign vessels with a general license will be authorized to enter the United States after engaging in certain trade with Cuba. Previously, vessels that called Cuban ports were prevented from entering U.S. ports for six months.
   The Commerce Department is also authorizing the export of building materials, equipment and tools for private sector use.