Legislation to be Introduced in Effort to Preclude Pro-Cuba Lobbying in Exchange for Food Contracts
U.S. Representatives Peter Deutsch (D-FL) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today announced that they would introduce a bill that would bar U.S. companies from lobbying for a change in U.S. policy toward Cuba as part of any contract to sell food products to Cuba.
As previously reported (see December 2, 2003 story below) the Government of Cuba has started requiring U.S. companies selling agricultural products to Cuba that they will agree to lobby Congress to lift the U.S. trade and travel restrictions on Cuba.
The proposed legislation would penalize companies signing such commitments by placing a 100 percent tax on their profits from any sale to Cuba. The legislators acknowledged that nothing could stop companies from lobbying independently against the embargo, as opposed to being contractually obliged to do so.
Congressman Deutsch has announced his intention to run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Bob Graham.