PR 25-0113 — Sense of the Council on the Restoration of Cuban American Relations Resolution of 2023

_______________________________ENROLLED ______________________________ORIGINAL CouncilmemberA KenyanRESOLUTION R.25-144 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA May 16, 2023 To declare the sense of the Council that the United States should end the economic blockade of Cuba and remove Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list due to the unjust harm it causes the Cuban people.

McDuffie Councilmember Robert C.

White, Jr.

4 _______________________________ ______________________________ Councilmember Vincent C.

Gray Councilmember Anita Bonds 8 _______________________________ ______________________________ Councilmember Janeese Lewis George Councilmember Brianne K.

Nadeau A PROPOSED RESOLUTION _____ IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA __________ To declare the sense of the Council that the United States should end the economic blockade of Cuba and remove Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list due to the unjust harm it causes the Cuban people.

(2) In 2014, President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro began work to re-re-establish establish diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba,Cuba as well as to remove Cuba from the designated State Sponsors of Terrorism list.

(3) However, President Donald J.

(4) Under President Joe Biden’s administration, some travel restrictions have been partially lifted,lifted but many limitations remain.

These sanctions, and the threat of secondary sanctions to other nations, continue to inflict daily hardships on the people of Cuba,Cuba making it difficult for them to grow their economy, maintain high quality healthcare, and improve their education systems.

(5) One example of the harm the embargo has had on Cuba,Cuba is that vital medical equipment is in short supply,supply and humanitarian assistance following catastrophic events, such as hurricanes, is often impeded due to these harmful policies.

It only had 2 anesthesia machines as of 2020 as other countries had ENROLLED ORIGINAL refused to provide additional equipment due to fear of being sanctioned.

This hurts United States commercial interests by reducing trade with, or in some cases,cases completely eliminating, a potential nearby trading partner.

Amazon, PayPalPayPal, and the Apple Store are just a few examples of otherwise semi-global services unavailable to Cuban citizens.

(8) Thus far, the United Nations has voted 30 times to condemn the United StatesStates’ embargo on Cuba.

Here in the United States, city councils, state legislatures, school boards, labor councils, unionsunions, and other organizations have passed approximately 67 resolutions urging the end of the embargos, encouraging scientific cooperation, and pushing the federal government to remove Cuba from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism.

It is the sense of the Council that President Biden and Congress should take all necessary steps to end all aspects of the economic blockade imposed against Cuba by the United States and remove Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list due to the unjust harm it causes to the Cuban people.

ThisTransmittal. resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in the District of Columbia Register.

The Secretary to the Council shall transmit a copy of this resolution to the Executive Office of the President, officers of both houses of Congress, to the committee chairs that have jurisdiction over District of Columbia affairs, and to the Delegate to the House of Representatives from the District of Columbia.

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5.

This resolution shall take effect immediately.