22 USC 6062 - Assistance for Cuban people

Collapse to view only § 6062. Assistance for Cuban people

§ 6061. Policy toward transition government and democratically elected government in Cuba
§ 6062. Assistance for Cuban people
§ 6063. Coordination of assistance program; implementation and reports to Congress; reprogramming
§ 6064. Termination of economic embargo of Cuba
§ 6065. Requirements and factors for determining transition government
§ 6066. Requirements for determining democratically elected government
§ 6067. Settlement of outstanding United States claims to confiscated property in Cuba

§ 6061. Policy toward transition government and democratically elected government in CubaThe policy of the United States is as follows:

(1) To support the self-determination of the Cuban people.

(2) To recognize that the self-determination of the Cuban people is a sovereign and national right of the citizens of Cuba which must be exercised free of interference by the government of any other country.

(3) To encourage the Cuban people to empower themselves with a government which reflects the self-determination of the Cuban people.

(4) To recognize the potential for a difficult transition from the current regime in Cuba that may result from the initiatives taken by the Cuban people for self-determination in response to the intransigence of the Castro regime in not allowing any substantive political or economic reforms, and to be prepared to provide the Cuban people with humanitarian, developmental, and other economic assistance.

(5) In solidarity with the Cuban people, to provide appropriate forms of assistance—

(A) to a transition government in Cuba;

(B) to facilitate the rapid movement from such a transition government to a democratically elected government in Cuba that results from an expression of the self-determination of the Cuban people; and

(6) Through such assistance, to facilitate a peaceful transition to representative democracy and a market economy in Cuba and to consolidate democracy in Cuba.

(7) To deliver such assistance to the Cuban people only through a transition government in Cuba, through a democratically elected government in Cuba, through United States Government organizations, or through United States, international, or indigenous nongovernmental organizations.

(8) To encourage other countries and multilateral organizations to provide similar assistance, and to work cooperatively with such countries and organizations to coordinate such assistance.

(9) To ensure that appropriate assistance is rapidly provided and distributed to the people of Cuba upon the institution of a transition government in Cuba.

(10) Not to provide favorable treatment or influence on behalf of any individual or entity in the selection by the Cuban people of their future government.

(11) To assist a transition government in Cuba and a democratically elected government in Cuba to prepare the Cuban military forces for an appropriate role in a democracy.

(12) To be prepared to enter into negotiations with a democratically elected government in Cuba either to return the United States Naval Base at Guantanamo to Cuba or to renegotiate the present agreement under mutually agreeable terms.

(13) To consider the restoration of diplomatic recognition and support the reintegration of the Cuban Government into Inter-American organizations when the President determines that there exists a democratically elected government in Cuba.

(14) To take steps to remove the economic embargo of Cuba when the President determines that a transition to a democratically elected government in Cuba has begun.

(15) To assist a democratically elected government in Cuba to strengthen and stabilize its national currency.

(16) To pursue trade relations with a free, democratic, and independent Cuba.

(Pub. L. 104–114, title II, § 201, Mar. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 805.)

§ 6062. Assistance for Cuban people

(a) Authorization

(1) In general

(2) Effect on other laws

(b) Plan for assistance

(1) Development of planThe President shall develop a plan for providing assistance under this section—

(A) to Cuba when a transition government in Cuba is in power; and

(B) to Cuba when a democratically elected government in Cuba is in power.

(2) Types of assistanceAssistance under the plan developed under paragraph (1) may, subject to an authorization of appropriations and subject to the availability of appropriations, include the following:

(A) Transition government

(i) Except as provided in clause (ii), assistance to Cuba under a transition government shall, subject to an authorization of appropriations and subject to the availability of appropriations, be limited to—(I) such food, medicine, medical supplies and equipment, and assistance to meet emergency energy needs, as is necessary to meet the basic human needs of the Cuban people; and(II) assistance described in subparagraph (C).

(ii) Assistance in addition to assistance under clause (i) may be provided, but only after the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees, in accordance with procedures applicable to reprogramming notifications under section 634A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 [22 U.S.C. 2394–1], that such assistance is essential to the successful completion of the transition to democracy.

(iii) Only after a transition government in Cuba is in power, freedom of individuals to travel to visit their relatives without any restrictions shall be permitted.

(B) Democratically elected governmentAssistance to a democratically elected government in Cuba may, subject to an authorization of appropriations and subject to the availability of appropriations, consist of economic assistance in addition to assistance available under subparagraph (A), together with assistance described in subparagraph (C). Such economic assistance may include—

(i) assistance under chapter 1 of part I [22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.] (relating to development assistance), and chapter 4 of part II [22 U.S.C. 2346 et seq.] (relating to the economic support fund), of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961;

(ii) assistance under the Food for Peace Act [7 U.S.C. 1691 et seq.];

(iii) financing, guarantees, and other forms of assistance provided by the Export-Import Bank of the United States;

(iv) financial support provided by the United States International Development Finance Corporation for investment projects in Cuba;

(v) assistance provided by the Trade and Development Agency;

(vi) Peace Corps programs; and

(vii) other appropriate assistance to carry out the policy of section 6061 of this title.

(d) Distribution

(e) International effortsThe President shall take the necessary steps—

(1) to seek to obtain the agreement of other countries and of international financial institutions and multilateral organizations to provide to a transition government in Cuba, and to a democratically elected government in Cuba, assistance comparable to that provided by the United States under this chapter; and

(2) to work with such countries, institutions, and organizations to coordinate all such assistance programs.

(f) Communication with Cuban people

(g) Report to Congress

(h) Report on trade and investment relations

(1) Report to CongressThe President, following the transmittal to the Congress of a determination under section 6063(c)(3) of this title that a democratically elected government in Cuba is in power, shall submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate and the appropriate congressional committees a report that describes—

(A) acts, policies, and practices which constitute significant barriers to, or distortions of, United States trade in goods or services or foreign direct investment with respect to Cuba;

(B) policy objectives of the United States regarding trade relations with a democratically elected government in Cuba, and the reasons therefor, including possible—

(i) reciprocal extension of nondiscriminatory trade treatment (most-favored-nation treatment);

(ii) designation of Cuba as a beneficiary developing country under title V of the Trade Act of 1974 [19 U.S.C. 2461 et seq.] (relating to the Generalized System of Preferences) or as a beneficiary country under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act [19 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.], and the implications of such designation with respect to trade with any other country that is such a beneficiary developing country or beneficiary country or is a party to the North American Free Trade Agreement; and

(iii) negotiations regarding free trade, including the accession of Cuba to the North American Free Trade Agreement;

(C) specific trade negotiating objectives of the United States with respect to Cuba, including the objectives described in section 108(b)(5) of the North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 3317(b)(5)); 1

1 See References in Text note below.

and

(D) actions proposed or anticipated to be undertaken, and any proposed legislation necessary or appropriate, to achieve any of such policy and negotiating objectives.

(2) Consultation

(Pub. L. 104–114, title II, § 202, Mar. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 806; Pub. L. 110–246, title III, § 3001(b)(1)(A), (2)(W), June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1820, 1821; Pub. L. 115–254, div. F, title VI, § 1470(n), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3518.)

§ 6063. Coordination of assistance program; implementation and reports to Congress; reprogramming

(a) Coordinating official

The President shall designate a coordinating official who shall be responsible for—

(1) implementing the strategy for distributing assistance described in section 6062(b) of this title;

(2) ensuring the speedy and efficient distribution of such assistance; and

(3) ensuring coordination among, and appropriate oversight by, the agencies of the United States that provide assistance described in section 6062(b) of this title, including resolving any disputes among such agencies.

(b) United States-Cuba council

Upon making a determination under subsection (c)(3) that a democratically elected government in Cuba is in power, the President, after consultation with the coordinating official, is authorized to designate a United States-Cuba council—

(1) to ensure coordination between the United States Government and the private sector in responding to change in Cuba, and in promoting market-based development in Cuba; and

(2) to establish periodic meetings between representatives of the United States and Cuban private sectors for the purpose of facilitating bilateral trade.

(1) Implementation with respect to transition government

(2) Reports to Congress

(A) The President shall transmit to the appropriate congressional committees a report setting forth the strategy for providing assistance described in section 6062(b)(2)(A) and (C) of this title to the transition government in Cuba under the plan of assistance developed under section 6062(b) of this title, the types of such assistance, and the extent to which such assistance has been distributed in accordance with the plan.

(B) The President shall transmit the report not later than 90 days after making the determination referred to in paragraph (1), except that the President shall transmit the report in preliminary form not later than 15 days after making that determination.

(3) Implementation with respect to democratically elected government

(4) Annual reports to Congress

(d) Reprogramming

(Pub. L. 104–114, title II, § 203, Mar. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 809.)

§ 6064. Termination of economic embargo of Cuba

(a) Presidential actions

(b) Suspension of certain provisions of law

In carrying out subsection (a), the President may suspend the enforcement of—

(1)section 2370(a) of this title;

(2)section 2370(f) of this title with respect to the “Republic of Cuba”;

(3) sections 6003, 6004(d), and 6005 of this title;

(4) section 902(c) of the Food Security Act of 1985; and

(5) the prohibitions on transactions described in part 515 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations.

(d) Conforming amendments

On the date on which the President submits a determination under section 6063(c)(3) of this title—

(1)section 2370(a) of this title is repealed;

(2)section 2370(f) of this title is amended by striking “Republic of Cuba”;

(3) sections 6003, 6004(d), and 6005 of this title are repealed; and

(4) section 902(c) of the Food Security Act of 1985 is repealed.

(e) Review of suspension of economic embargo

(1) Review

(2) Joint resolutions

(3) Referral to committees

(4) Procedures

(A) Any joint resolution shall be considered in the Senate in accordance with the provisions of section 601(b) of the International Security Assistance and Arms Export Control Act of 1976.

(B) For the purpose of expediting the consideration and enactment of joint resolutions, a motion to proceed to the consideration of any joint resolution after it has been reported by the appropriate committee shall be treated as highly privileged in the House of Representatives.

(C) Not more than 1 joint resolution may be considered in the House of Representatives and the Senate in the 6-month period beginning on the date on which the President notifies the Congress under paragraph (1) of the action taken under subsection (a), and in each 6-month period thereafter.

(Pub. L. 104–114, title II, § 204, Mar. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 810.)

§ 6065. Requirements and factors for determining transition government

(a) RequirementsFor the purposes of this chapter, a transition government in Cuba is a government that—

(1) has legalized all political activity;

(2) has released all political prisoners and allowed for investigations of Cuban prisons by appropriate international human rights organizations;

(3) has dissolved the present Department of State Security in the Cuban Ministry of the Interior, including the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution and the Rapid Response Brigades; and

(4) has made public commitments to organizing free and fair elections for a new government—

(A) to be held in a timely manner within a period not to exceed 18 months after the transition government assumes power;

(B) with the participation of multiple independent political parties that have full access to the media on an equal basis, including (in the case of radio, television, or other telecommunications media) in terms of allotments of time for such access and the times of day such allotments are given; and

(C) to be conducted under the supervision of internationally recognized observers, such as the Organization of American States, the United Nations, and other election monitors;

(5) has ceased any interference with Radio Marti or Television Marti broadcasts;

(6) makes public commitments to and is making demonstrable progress in—

(A) establishing an independent judiciary;

(B) respecting internationally recognized human rights and basic freedoms as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which Cuba is a signatory nation;

(C) allowing the establishment of independent trade unions as set forth in conventions 87 and 98 of the International Labor Organization, and allowing the establishment of independent social, economic, and political associations;

(7) does not include Fidel Castro or Raul Castro; and

(8) has given adequate assurances that it will allow the speedy and efficient distribution of assistance to the Cuban people.

(b) Additional factorsIn addition to the requirements in subsection (a), in determining whether a transition government in Cuba is in power, the President shall take into account the extent to which that government—

(1) is demonstrably in transition from a communist totalitarian dictatorship to representative democracy;

(2) has made public commitments to, and is making demonstrable progress in—

(A) effectively guaranteeing the rights of free speech and freedom of the press, including granting permits to privately owned media and telecommunications companies to operate in Cuba;

(B) permitting the reinstatement of citizenship to Cuban-born persons returning to Cuba;

(D) taking appropriate steps to return to United States citizens (and entities which are 50 percent or more beneficially owned by United States citizens) property taken by the Cuban Government from such citizens and entities on or after January 1, 1959, or to provide equitable compensation to such citizens and entities for such property;

(3) has extradited or otherwise rendered to the United States all persons sought by the United States Department of Justice for crimes committed in the United States; and

(4) has permitted the deployment throughout Cuba of independent and unfettered international human rights monitors.

(Pub. L. 104–114, title II, § 205, Mar. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 811.)

§ 6066. Requirements for determining democratically elected governmentFor purposes of this chapter, a democratically elected government in Cuba, in addition to meeting the requirements of section 6065(a) of this title, is a government which—

(1) results from free and fair elections—

(A) conducted under the supervision of internationally recognized observers; and

(B) in which—

(i) opposition parties were permitted ample time to organize and campaign for such elections; and

(ii) all candidates were permitted full access to the media;

(2) is showing respect for the basic civil liberties and human rights of the citizens of Cuba;

(3) is substantially moving toward a market-oriented economic system based on the right to own and enjoy property;

(4) is committed to making constitutional changes that would ensure regular free and fair elections and the full enjoyment of basic civil liberties and human rights by the citizens of Cuba;

(5) has made demonstrable progress in establishing an independent judiciary; and

(6) has made demonstrable progress in returning to United States citizens (and entities which are 50 percent or more beneficially owned by United States citizens) property taken by the Cuban Government from such citizens and entities on or after January 1, 1959, or providing full compensation for such property in accordance with international law standards and practice.

(Pub. L. 104–114, title II, § 206, Mar. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 812.)

§ 6067. Settlement of outstanding United States claims to confiscated property in Cuba

(a) Report to Congress

Not later than 180 days after March 12, 1996, the Secretary of State shall provide a report to the appropriate congressional committees containing an assessment of the property dispute question in Cuba, including—

(1) an estimate of the number and amount of claims to property confiscated by the Cuban Government that are held by United States nationals in addition to those claims certified under section 1643f of this title;

(2) an assessment of the significance of promptly resolving confiscated property claims to the revitalization of the Cuban economy;

(3) a review and evaluation of technical and other assistance that the United States could provide to help either a transition government in Cuba or a democratically elected government in Cuba establish mechanisms to resolve property questions;

(4) an assessment of the role and types of support the United States could provide to help resolve claims to property confiscated by the Cuban Government that are held by United States nationals who did not receive or qualify for certification under section 1643f of this title; and

(5) an assessment of any areas requiring legislative review or action regarding the resolution of property claims in Cuba prior to a change of government in Cuba.

(d)1

1 So in original. No subsec. (b) or (c) has been enacted.

Sense of Congress

(Pub. L. 104–114, title II, § 207, Mar. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 813.)