Pelosi leads House Democrats visiting Cuba

Pelosi leads House Democrats visiting Cuba
BY ALAN FRAM ASSOCIATED PRESS
02/17/2015 11:57 AM 02/17/2015 11:57 AM

WASHINGTON
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi led a delegation of Democrats from
her chamber on a visit to Cuba on Tuesday that her office said was aimed
at further improving U.S. relations with the island nation.

Pelosi, D-Calif., and eight other Democrats were planning to meet with
Cuban government, local and church officials, and with American
officials representing U.S. interests there.

The visit comes two months after President Barack Obama and Cuban
President Raul Castro announced steps toward normalizing relations
between the two countries, which have been estranged for half a century.

"This delegation will work to advance the U.S.-Cuba relationship and
build on the work done by many in the Congress over the years,
especially with respect to agriculture and trade," Pelosi said in a
written statement.

Democrats traveling with Pelosi included Reps. Eliot Engel of New York,
top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Collin Peterson of
Minnesota, lead Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee; and Nydia
Velazquez of New York, senior Democrat on the House Small Business
Committee.

Earlier this month, U.S. officials had said the Cuban government had
postponed all congressional visits until April. But Cuban officials said
only some had been delayed because of a large number of requests.

The U.S. has partially lifted the 54-year-old economic embargo on Cuba,
easing restrictions on U.S. telecommunications exports and on American
credit and debit card transactions on the island. Only Congress can
fully lift the embargo, a move supported by Obama but opposed by
congressional Republican leaders.

Source: Pelosi leads House Democrats visiting Cuba | The Miami Herald
The Miami Herald -
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article10521629.html