WASHINGTON - JUNE 21 - Sarah Stephens, Director of The Center for Democracy in the America’s, issued the following statement praising Senators Baucus and Crapo, Representatives Rangel and Emerson, for their legislation to speed agriculture sales to Cuba and to increase travel to the island:

“The Bush administration came to office promising never to use food as a weapon, a promise it broke regarding sales of U.S. agriculture commodities to Cuba.   It has repeatedly thrown up obstacles to food sales that have made it more difficult for U.S. farmers and ranchers to increase trade with Cuba and increasingly blocked travel by Americans to Cuba.

“This legislation will help the U.S. farmer make more sales to Cuba and that’s important – because Cuba imports 84% of its food from foreign sources and U.S. farmers are among the only Americans who can travel to and trade with Cuba.  U.S. farmers are America’s face in Cuba and our government should promote and not frustrate their presence on the island.

“U.S. food sales to Cuba are important, even crucial, but they should not be our only form of contact between the American and Cuban people.  As this legislation says, Congress should broadly legalize travel to Cuba, repealing the travel ban, and increasing contacts between our two countries across the board."

The Center for Democracy in the Americas (http://www.democracyinamericas.org/) is devoted to changing U.S. policy toward the countries of the Americas by basing our relations on respect and dignity, recognizing positive models of governance in the region, and fostering dialogue particularly with those governments and movements with which U.S. policy is at odds.

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