THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 7, 1996 TAG: 9603070467
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
Propelled by a second determined vote in Congress, legislation is on its way to President Clinton to increase economic sanctions on Cuba and keep foreign investors away.
The House passed the Cuban Liberty Act 336-86 on Wednesday, a day after the legislation swept through the Senate 74-22. Clinton discarded past objections to the bill after Cuba's downing of two American civilian planes Feb. 24 and has promised to sign it.
The overwhelming congressional votes convey a message that ``no one in Cuba, and no one in the rest of the world, should expect this embargo to be lifted until there is democracy in Cuba,'' said House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga. ``There is no future for the Castro dictatorship. There are no deals.''
Rushed through Congress in the anger that followed the plane attack, the bill makes it impossible for the president to ease sanctions on Cuba without an act of Congress. It also allows Cuban-Americans and others who lost property since Fidel Castro took power in 1959 to sue foreign companies making use of the seized property.
It also forbids entry into the United States of company presidents and individuals who profit from confiscated property.
Canada and the European Union have protested that the provisions infringe on their sovereignty.
``Although the EU is fully supportive of a peaceful transition in Cuba, it cannot accept that the United States unilaterally determine and restrict EU economic and commercial relations with third countries,'' the Europeans told the State Department.
Mexico, partner with the United States and Canada in the North American Free Trade Agreement, said the bill violates international law and regional and bilateral U.S. commitments. Its foreign ministry said Mexico and Canada will, through NAFTA, ``challenge the effects this initiative will have.''
Lawmakers greeted such complaints with scorn.
``It is time for them to understand that we will not go merrily along while they provide a lifeline to this communist just off our coast, who is in fact a mortal enemy of the United States of America,'' said Rep. Gerald Solomon, R-N.Y. ``For those who have said to me that we have insulted our allies with this, I would say our allies have insulted us by not observing our embargo,'' added Rep. Porter Goss, R-Fla. ILLUSTRATION: HOW THEY VOTED
A ``yes'' vote is a vote to pass the bill.
Herbert H. Bateman, R-Va.Yes
Owen B. Pickett, D-Va.Yes
Robert C. Scott, D-Va.Yes
Norman Sisisky, D-Va.Yes
Eva Clayton, D-N.C. Did not vote
Walter Jones Jr., R-N.C. Yes
by CNB