|
 Members of Congress have been trying to roll back the shift in
Cuba policy, but all such proposals face a tough fight to become
law. Separately, the White House said on Tuesday it would veto a
transportation bill that included a measure to roll back Obama's
moves to ease travel to the Communist-ruled island.
The appropriations bill released on Tuesday would restrict funds to
facilitate the opening of a Cuban embassy in the United States,
increase democracy assistance and international broadcasting to Cuba
and provide direction to the State Department on denying visas to
members of the Cuban military and Communist Party.
Some members of Congress, led mostly by Republican Cuban-American
lawmakers, have objected to the U.S. shift in Cuba policy. They want
Cuba's government to do more to improve human rights on the island,
release U.S. fugitives living in Cuba and allow free elections
before easing restrictions on trade, travel and diplomatic
relations.
 Since Congress controls government spending, these members have
pledged to use appropriations legislation to try to block the
initiative by Obama, a Democrat.
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"I think we have been very clear with our challenges with what's
gone on in Cuba, from human rights, from what's happened there, and
we have a difference of opinion with the administration and we have
a right to express it," Kevin McCarthy, the Republican House
Majority Leader, said at a news conference.
The United States formally dropped Cuba from its list of state
sponsors of terrorism last Friday, an important step toward
restoring diplomatic ties but one that will have a limited effect on
removing U.S. sanctions on the Communist-ruled island.
(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle and Susan Cornwell; Editing by Will
Dunham, James Dalgleish and David Gregorio)
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