As expected, Raúl Castro was selected for a second five year-term as president (until February 2018, when Raúl will be 86 years old), but Castro also indicated that this would be his last term in conformity with the new two-term limit for top officials. Short-term detentions for political reasons have increased significantly over the past several years, a reflection of the government's change of tactics in repressing dissent. Since the early 1960s, U.S. policy toward Cuba has consisted largely of isolating the island nation through comprehensive economic sanctions, including an embargo on trade and financial transactions. In addition to sanctions, another component of U.S. policy, a so-called second track, consists of support measures for the Cuban people. Just after the adjournment of the 113 th Congress, however, President Obama announced on December 17, 2014, that Cuba was releasing Alan Gross on humanitarian grounds and unveiled major changes in U.S. policy toward Cuba, including a restoration of diplomatic relations and new efforts toward engagement. The President maintained that the United States would continue to raise concerns about democracy and human rights in Cuba, but stated that "we can do more to support the Cuban people and promote our values through engagement." Background on the First Six Years of U.S. Policy Under President Obama

In April 2009, the Obama Administration fulfilled a campaign pledge and announced it would lift all restrictions on family travel and remittances. U.S. officials lauded the release of dozens of Cuban political prisoners in 2010 and 2011, but maintained that their release did not change the government's poor human rights record as it continued to resort to repeated short-term detentions. Securing the release of Alan Gross from prison in Cuba also remained a top U.S. priority. With regard to President Obama's announcement of a new direction for U.S. policy toward Cuba in December 2014, some Members of Congress lauded the Administration's actions as in the best interests of the United States and a better way to support change in Cuba, while other Members strongly criticized the President for not obtaining concessions from Cuba to advance human rights. With some Members vowing to oppose the Administration's efforts toward normalization, the direction of U.S.-Cuban relations is likely to be hotly debated in the 114 th Congress. Issues in U.S.-Cuban Relations

For many years, Congress has played an active role in U.S. policy toward Cuba through the enactment of legislative initiatives and oversight on the many issues that comprise policy toward Cuba. These include U.S. restrictions on travel and remittances to Cuba; U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba with conditions; funding and oversight of U.S.-government sponsored democracy and human rights projects; the imprisonment of USAID subcontractor Alan Gross in Cuba since December 2009; funding and oversight for U.S.-government sponsored broadcasting to Cuba (Radio and TV Martí); terrorism issues; migration issues; bilateral anti-drug cooperation; and the status of Cuba's offshore oil development, including efforts to ensure adequate oil spill prevention, preparedness, and response efforts. In the first session of the 113 th Congress, both the House and Senate versions of the FY2014 Financial Services and General Government appropriations measure, H.R. 2786 and S. 1371 , had different provisions that would have tightened and eased travel restrictions respectively, but none of these provisions were included in the FY2014 omnibus appropriations measure, H.R. In the second session of the 113 th Congress, the House version of the FY2015 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act ( H.R. 5016 , and the FY2015 omnibus appropriations measure approved in December 2014 ( P.L. 113-235 ) did not include the provisions on Cuba in H.R. Several legislative initiatives were introduced in the 113 th Congress that would have lifted all travel restrictions: H.R. 872 (Rangel), and H.R. While the Senate Appropriations Committee-approved version of the FY2012 Financial Services appropriations measure ( S. 1573 ) had a provision that would have continued the definition of "payment of cash in advance" utilized in FY2010 and FY2011, this was not included in the final omnibus legislation. 873 (Rangel), while three other bills that would have lifted the overall embargo— H.R. 872 (Rangel), and H.R. 873 (Rangel); and H.R. 1917 (Rush)—each have a provision that would have repealed the trademark sanction. On March 21, 2013, Congress completed action on full-year FY2013 appropriations with the approval of H.R. 933 ( P.L. Congress ultimately completed action on FY2014 appropriations in January 2014 when it enacted the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, H.R. 3547 ( P.L. Congress ultimately completed action on FY2015 appropriations when it enacted a FY2015 omnibus appropriations measure ( P.L. The statement also asserted that Gross's "detention remains an impediment to more constructive relations between Cuba and the United States." 113-6 ( H.R. Provides continued funding for Cuba democracy and human rights projects and Cuba broadcasting (Radio and TV Martí) for FY2013. P.L. 113-76 ( H.R. 113-235 ( H.R. Additional Measures

H.R. 105-277 ); prohibited restrictions on travel to Cuba; called on the President to conduct negotiations with Cuba to settle property claims of U.S. nationals for confiscated property and secure the protection of internationally recognized human rights; extended nondiscriminatory trade treatment to the products of Cuba; prohibited any limitations on annual remittances to Cuba; removed Cuba from the state sponsors of terrorism list; and called for the immediate and unconditional release of Alan Gross and, until then, would have urged Cuba to allow Mr. As approved, Section 126 of the bill would have prevented any funds in the Act from being used to approve, license, facilitate, authorize or otherwise allow people-to-people travel set forth in 31 C . F . R . 515.565(b)(2) of the CACR; Section 127 would have required a joint report from the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Homeland Security within 90 days of the bill's enactment with information for each fiscal year since FY2007 on the number of travelers visiting close relatives in Cuba; the average duration of these trips; the average amount of U.S. dollars spent per family traveler (including amount of remittances carried to Cuba); the number of return trips per year; and the total sum of U.S. dollars spent collectively by family travelers for each fiscal year. 5016 ( H.Rept. Most significantly, the Assembly also appointed 52-year old Miguel Díaz-Canel as First Vice President, making him Castro's constitutional successor.
Cuba remains a one-party communist state with a poor record on human rights. The country's political succession in 2006 from the long-ruling Fidel Castro to his brother Raúl was characterized by a remarkable degree of stability. In February 2013, Castro was reappointed to a second five-year term as President (until 2018, when he would be 86 years old), and selected 52-year old former Education Minister Miguel Díaz-Canel as his First Vice President, making him the official successor in the event that Castro cannot serve out his term. Raúl Castro has implemented a number of gradual economic policy changes over the past several years, including an expansion of self-employment. A party congress held in April 2011 laid out numerous economic goals that, if implemented, could significantly alter Cuba's state-dominated economic model. Few observers, however, expect the government to ease its tight control over the political system. While the government reduced the number of political prisoners in 2010-2011, the number increased in 2012; moreover, short-term detentions and harassment have increased significantly over the past several years.
U.S. Policy
Congress has played an active role in shaping policy toward Cuba, including the enactment of legislation strengthening and at times easing various U.S. economic sanctions. While U.S. policy has consisted largely of isolating Cuba through economic sanctions, a second policy component has consisted of support measures for the Cuban people, including U.S. government-sponsored broadcasting (Radio and TV Martí) and support for human rights and democracy projects.
For most of the Obama Administration's first six years, it continued this similar dual-track approach. While the Administration lifted all restrictions on family travel and remittances in 2009, eased restrictions on other types of purposeful travel in 2011, and moved to reengage Cuba on several bilateral issues, it also maintained most U.S. economic sanctions in place. On human rights, the Administration welcomed the release of many political prisoners in 2010 and 2011, but it also criticized Cuba's continued harsh repression of political dissidents through thousands of short-term detentions and targeted violence. The Administration continued to call for the release of U.S. government subcontractor Alan Gross, imprisoned in Cuba in 2009, and maintained that Gross's detention remained an impediment to more constructive relations.
Just after the adjournment of the 113th Congress, however, President Obama announced on December 17, 2014, that Cuba was releasing Alan Gross on humanitarian grounds and unveiled major changes in U.S. policy toward Cuba, including a restoration of diplomatic relations and new efforts toward engagement. The President maintained that the United States would continue to raise concerns about democracy and human rights in Cuba, but that "we can do more to support the Cuban people and promote our values through engagement."
Legislative Activity
Strong interest in Cuba continued in the 113th Congress with attention focused on economic and political developments, especially the human rights situation, and U.S. policy toward the island nation, including sanctions. The continued imprisonment of Alan Gross remained a key concern for many Members. In March 2013, Congress completed action on full-year FY2013 appropriations with the approval of H.R. 933 (P.L. 113-6); in January 2014, it completed action on a FY2014 omnibus appropriations measure, H.R. 3547 (P.L. 113-76); and in December 2014, it completed action on a FY2015 omnibus appropriations measure (H.R. 83; P.L. 113-235)—all of these measures continued funding for Cuba democracy projects and Cuba broadcasting (Radio and TV Martí). Both the House and Senate versions of the FY2014 Financial Services and General Government appropriations measure, H.R. 2786 and S. 1371, had provisions that would have tightened and eased travel restrictions respectively, but none of these provisions were included in the FY2014 omnibus appropriations measure (P.L. 113-76). The House version of the FY2015 Financial Services and General Government Appropriation bill, H.R. 5016 (H.Rept. 113-508), had a provision that would have prohibited the use of funds to approve, license, facilitate, or allow people-to-people travel, but the provision was not included in the FY2015 omnibus appropriations measure (P.L. 113-235).
Several other initiatives on Cuba were introduced in the 113th Congress, but no action was taken on these bills and resolutions. Several would have lifted or eased U.S. economic sanctions on Cuba: H.R. 214 and H.R. 872 (overall embargo); H.R. 871 (travel); and H.R. 873 (travel and agricultural exports). H.R. 215 would have allowed Cubans to play organized professional baseball in the United States. H.R. 1917 would have lifted the embargo and extended nondiscriminatory trade treatment to the products of Cuba after Cuba released Alan Gross from prison. Identical initiatives, H.R. 778/S. 647 would have modified a 1998 trademark sanction; in contrast, H.R. 214, H.R. 872, H.R. 873, and H.R. 1917 each had a provision that would have repealed the sanction. H.Res. 121 would have honored the work of Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez. H.Res. 262 would have called for the immediate extradition or rendering of all U.S. fugitives from justices in Cuba.
With regard to President Obama's December 2014 announcement of a new direction for policy toward Cuba, some Members of Congress lauded the initiative as in the best interests of the United States and a better way to support change in Cuba, while other Members strongly criticized the President for not obtaining concessions from Cuba to advance human rights. With some Members vowing to oppose the Administration's efforts toward normalization, the direction of U.S.-Cuban relations is likely to be hotly debated in the 114th Congress.
This report reflects legislative activity through the 113th Congress and will not be updated; a new version of the report will be issued for the 114th Congress. For additional information, see: CRS In Focus IF10045, Cuba: President Obama's New Policy Approach; CRS Insight IN10202, Cuba: Release of Alan Gross and Major Changes to U.S. Policy; CRS Insight IN10204, U.S. Policy on Cuban Migration; and CRS Report RL31139, Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on Travel and Remittances.