Some good things are happening. The stimulus bill expanded the trade adjustment assistance program: Baucus, Rangel, Grassley, Camp Hail Passage of Expanded Trade Adjustment Assistance. That should address some concerns about trade related job losses as we go forward.
Now it looks like congressional Democrats are going to loosen up the restrictions on trade with Cuba: House, Senate Launch Efforts to Change Cuba Trade Policy:
Efforts to ease trade with Cuba are beginning to move forward in Congress. Both the House and Senate took steps this week to expand bilateral commerce with the island nation, which has been under a U.S. embargo for over 40 years. Supporters say opening the Cuban market could provide a significant boost to the struggling U.S. economy....
"Significant boost" sounds a little strong to me; Cuban GDP is less than a percent of U.S. GDP. Anyway, the initiatives are welcome. The story points to:
- efforts to relax restrictions on financing agricultural exports from the U.S.
- Max Baucus has promised to introduce legislation relaxing "restrictions on travel to and payments from Cuba"
- Charles Rangel has introduced several bills to relax restrictions, including "...(H.R. 1530) that would eliminate the U.S. trade embargo completely within 60 days of its enactment..."
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