The Boswell Briefing: Normalizing U.S. Relations with Cuba

Statement

On April 13th, President Obama took an important step toward normalizing U.S. relations with Cuba. Under a new executive order, Cuban-Americans are no longer limited in their ability to travel to their homeland or send money there.

The media's recent focus on these relaxed restrictions, combined with the Congressional Black Caucus's visit to Cuba last week, draw attention to the fact that our nation's Cold War-era trade embargo against Cuba remains in place. Some might argue that, considering the scope and urgency of the current economic crisis, now is not the time to focus on our troubled relationship with Cuba. I would use that same reasoning, however, to suggest that now is the ideal time to contemplate major changes.

Both sides stand to gain little if the U.S. maintains its policy of diplomatic and economic isolation toward Cuba - but there are numerous advantages to lifting these restrictive policies. For the United States, normal trade relations with Cuba would be a great boon to American business interests. In Iowa for example, nearly one-sixth of all manufacturing workers depend on exports for their jobs. In 2008, Iowa's export shipments of merchandise totaled $12.1 billion, with just over $5 billion coming from agricultural exports. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, U.S. agricultural sales to Cuba have averaged $400 million annually since 2000, with top commodity sales including poultry, wheat, soybeans, rice, and dairy. Expanding trade with Cuba could increase agricultural sales to more than $1billion annually.

The potential benefits for Cubans are just as great. A healthy economic relationship with the United States would help relieve the immense humanitarian suffering that has occurred under Castro's totalitarian regime, and help sow support for future, more pro-American leadership. Fidel Castro's authoritarianism and human rights abuses are still unconscionable, but normalizing trade relations with Cuba would not make the U.S. a condoner of Castro's dictatorship. Rather, such a move would show concern for the people of Cuba and a willingness to work with them diplomatically toward the eventual goal of democracy and prosperity. After all, Fidel Castro officially resigned the presidency last year, and while his influence is still potent, it is no longer the only one that matters.

A more open relationship with Cuba would make sense internationally as well, helping to supplant any efforts by Russia or China to undermine the United States' democratic example in the Western Hemisphere, and wearing away Hugo Chavez's already weakening authority.

Because of my support for lifting trade restrictions with Cuba, I have cosponsored H.R. 1531, the Promoting American Agricultural and Medical Exports to Cuba Act, as well as H.R. 1737, the Agricultural Export Facilitation Act. Both pieces of legislation would end the current trade embargo, which does not permit U.S. agricultural products from being exported to Cuba, among other things.

Both the United States and Cuba are ready for this long-overdue change. The trade embargo is a proven failure that has hurt U.S. business interests and the Cuban people, while giving Castro's regime an easy excuse for why its economy is failing. Instead of maintaining this unproductive antagonism - this relic of a bygone era - I believe the 111th Congress and President Obama should consider making a bold, decisive change.

I would appreciate your thoughts on this or any other issue. As always, please feel free to contact me in Des Moines at 515-282-1909, or toll-free at 1-888-432-1984. You can also reach me at my Washington, D.C. office at 202-225-3806.

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