Trump’s Cuba Policy Changes Could Mean Lost Opportunities For Texas

Trump's Cuba Policy Changes Could Mean Lost Opportunities For Texas
The Port of Houston stands to benefit from increased energy and
agricultural trade with Cuba, if and when Congress lifts the U.S.
embargo on the island nation.
ANDREW SCHNEIDER | POSTED ON JUNE 13, 2017, 5:22 PM

President Trump is soon expected to announce plans that could tighten
restrictions on travel and trade with Cuba. Such a move would end the
thaw in Cuban-American relations, begun under President Obama.
The Houston Airport System would feel the pinch first, if Trump imposes
fresh travel restrictions on Cuba. United Airlines now flies one round
trip between George Bush Intercontinental and Havana each Saturday. The
U.S. trade embargo remains in place as a matter of law. But Houston has
been poised to gain if and when that changes.
"It would take away from what we thought would be another great customer
for the Port of Houston and for Texas, because of our agricultural base
in West Texas and our energy base," says Democratic Congressman Gene Green.
Several of Green's Republican colleagues recently sent a letter to
President Trump, arguing that reversing course on Cuba would hurt U.S.
national security. Jenifer Sarver agrees. Sarver previously worked in
the George W. Bush Administration. She now serves on the Texas State
Council of Engage Cuba.
"Any sort of tightening of sanctions on Cuba is not going to benefit
us," Sarver says. "It's only going to further isolate the island, and
it's going to allow countries like Russia and China and others to
influence what's happening kind of in our region of the world."
Trump is expected to announce the policy changes in Miami on Friday.

Source: Trump's Cuba Policy Changes Could Mean Lost Opportunities For
Texas – Houston Public Media -
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/2017/06/13/204642/trumps-cuba-policy-changes-could-mean-lost-opportunities-for-texas/