Is the Cold War over? Congress pushes for end of restrictions on travel with Cuba

House and Senate both likely to pass bills ending all restrictions on travel

President Obama's inroads into warming relations between the United States and Cuba is being supported by a bipartisan group of Senators, who on Thursday unveiled a bill that would end travel restrictions for Americans who wish to visit Cuba.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The newly created Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act would end decades of restrictions that have prevented most Americans from visiting the communist nation, restrictions that have been in place since the first half of the Cold War, following a successful communist revolution in the country.

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During a news conference that day, Arizona Senator Jeff Flake, one of the Republicans backing the bill, spoke about why the embargo only hurts Americans.

"We all need to remember this is a prohibition on Americans, not Cubans," he said. "We're simply saying that Americans should be allowed to travel wherever they want unless there's a compelling national security reason."

Four Democrats and Four Republicans signed the bill, and one of the Democrats, Senator Patrick Leahy from Vermont, said that the current prohibition regarding Cuba makes no sense.

"It's one thing if another country tells me I can't visit them; it's another if my country tells me I can't," he said. "This thing hasn't worked."

The Congressional push towards opening Cuba is a major step in repealing the embargo on trade that President John F. Kennedy put into place more than 50 years ago.

President Obama has already eased several restrictions regarding travelers headed to Cuba, but still, tourism is not allowed, and Americans hoping to get in must fall into 12 categories of authorize travel, which include academic research, religious activities, athletic competitions or humanitarian work.

This bill will eliminate these remaining restrictions, meaning all U.S. citizens are eligible to enter Cuba. A similar bill is going to be introduced next week into the House of Representatives, and the White House has publicly supported both measures.

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Illinois Democrat, Senator Richard Durbin, hopes that this bill will allow for an exchange of American ideals into Cuba, along with U.S. dollars, potentially ending decades of communist rule, and bringing a new trading partner and ally into the world.

"The way you change society is through personal relationships," he said. "Lifting the travel ban is a tremendous step in the right direction."

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