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House Appropriation Committee Approves Restriction of Travel to Cuba through the Power of the Purse Strings

Washington, Jun 23 -

The House Appropriations Committee today approved the fiscal year 2012 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill. The legislation provides annual funding for the Treasury Department, the Executive Office of the President, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia, the Small Business Administration, the General Services Administration, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and several other independent agencies.

The following amendments were offered and adopted:

Diaz-Balart (R-FL) The amendment tightens regulations on family travel and remittances to Cuba, returning these policies to those that were in place during the Bush Administration. These changes to travel restrictions include: requiring specific licenses for family travel, tightening the definition of "family," and limiting travel to every three years for a time period of 14 days.  The amendment would also limit family remittances to immediate family members, and limit the total to $300 for every quarter of the year. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote. 

Flake (R-AZ) The amendment inserts report language regarding the Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC), related to Cuban Asset Control regulations. The amendment directs the office to provide a report on pending license applications related to education exchanges. The amendment was adopted on a voice

Final Passage The bill was approved by the full Appropriations Committee on a vote of 27-21.