For U.S. Representative Kathy Castor, patience was fast losing its virtue status.
The multi-faceted, politically volatile reality that is Cuban-American relations had become a source of pique and frustration to her. It was economic and it was humanitarian — and for a lot of her constituents, it was personal.
“A week does not pass when a Tampa Bay area family with a personal family challenge does not communicate with me or my office for assistance with family travel to Cuba,” explains the Tampa Democrat.
The immediate, gut issue is two-fold. Some Cuban-Americans with ties to the island don’t fit the U.S. government’s official definition of “family.” Their kinship isn’t close enough for government work. To them, previously touted, “liberalized” travel changes are a cruel hoax. Those waiting for the expected expansion of such travel rights are still waiting.
For those who do qualify, however, there is an additional logistical and economic hurdle. To get to Havana, they have to fly out of Miami, the nearest airport with government approval. The others are New York and Los Angeles.
Tampa International Airport, the hub of an area with the fifth largest concentration of Cuban-Americans in the country, is not approved. Castor finds that unacceptable. She has been aggressively lobbying President Obama, including via a direct letter, to include TIA on the short list of airports permitted to schedule direct charter flights to Cuba. Now she’s tired of the waiting game — and aggressively allied with her disappointed, often depressed, constituents.
So she has upped the ante.
Castor recently joined 178 other members of the House of Representatives in signing on as a co-sponsor to Massachusetts Democrat Bill Delahunt’s H.R. 874. That’s the Freedom To Travel To Cuba Act. It would permit Americans to go to Cuba and further loosen restrictions on U.S. agricultural sales. H.R. 874 has notable economic — not just familial-travel — implications for this area.
Moreover, in signing on, Castor had to break ranks with the rest of this state’s Congressional delegation. Not one member would commit to H.R. 874, which is political business as usual in Florida: a mix of hard-line ideologues, those they can intimidate or buy off, and those committed to playing it self-servingly safe.
“We’re trying to do everything possible to diversify our economy,” underscores Castor. “That means travel and trade…My first motivation is jobs in Tampa and putting pressure on the Obama Administration on TIA.”
Castor seems cautiously optimistic about the chances of H.R. 874 winding up on President Obama’s desk for his signature. She has talked often with Delahunt the past few months. H.R. 874 needs at least 218 House votes.
“I’m hopeful it will pass the House before the end of the year,” she says. “I would anticipate add-ons. I know there’s a good handful of others out there. In the Senate, they say they have 60 votes.”
Meanwhile, Castor has no trouble defending her liberalized Cuban position against the usual Sunshine State suspects as well as those in her own party, such as fellow Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Fort Lauderdale, who is also vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee.
Castor makes the case that unfettered travel, education and cultural exchanges can help draw “greater attention to human rights.” Indeed, human rights activists in Cuba are invariably on the side of increased exposure to America. Guillermo Farinas, the internationally prominent dissident-journalist who nearly died from his hunger strike, spoke for many of them in his recent interview with Spain’s El Pais. “The visits of millions of U.S. citizens would without a doubt change this country,” stated Farinas.
Castor is hardly deterred by those still on the side of a demonstrably failed, Cold War-relic policy.
“After all, we’re talking about a 50-year experiment that didn’t work,” points out Castor. “It didn’t isolate the dictator. But the embargo and travel restrictions did enable Castro to blame us for his failures and to use fear to his advantage.
“The consensus is changing,” emphasizes Castor. “It’s time to allow Cuban-Americans and others who appreciate the rich cultural heritage of Cuba and want to foster exchanges to go there. It’s time to focus on those relationships.”
And Tampa, especially during a recession, is primed to take advantage of change, she reiterates.
“Tampa has to position itself as a gateway,” says Castor. “We’re talking about a dividend for our local economy…There is great potential for new jobs and economic growth throughout the Tampa Bay area if travel and trade opportunities are expanded over the coming years. The Port of Tampa, Tampa International Airport, area businesses and our neighbors are well positioned for new economic opportunities.”