Trade groups urge approval of Cuba bill

Trade groups urge approval of Cuba bill    In a last big push, trade groups urged members of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee to approve on Wednesday a bill that would lift restrictions on travel by American citizens to Cuba and U.S. agricultural and humanitarian exports to the Caribbean country.
   The committee is scheduled to mark up the Travel Restriction Reform and Export Enhancement Act (H.R. 4645), which in its current language would reverse the 'payment of cash in advance' rule governing U.S. exports to Cuba and eliminate the requirement that payments to U.S. agricultural sellers must pass through banks in third countries, and lift restrictions.
   'Members of the Agriculture Committee have a golden opportunity to vote for a bill that helps American farmers, businesses and citizens, as well as the Cuban people,' said Jake Colvin, vice president for global trade issues at the National Foreign Trade Council, in a joint statement with USA*Engage.
   Other supporters of the bill include heavyweights such as Human Rights Watch and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.