Pressed by the ultra-right Cuban-born deputies, the U.S. congressional
leaders agreed to drop the initiative presented by Jo Ann Emerson to ease
Cuba’s payment methods for the purchase of food in compensation for the
elimination of a rider attached to the spending bill aimed at returning
travel and remittances to Cuba by Cuban-Americans to the level set by
former president George W. Bush in 2008, said PL.

In 2001, The U.S. Congress allowed food sales to Cuba after hurricanes
affected the island severely, on the condition that it would pay in cash
and in advance. The measure was an exeption on the U.S. economic blockade
imposed against the island for almost 50 years.

On the other hand, following protests by organizations and Cuban-Americans
in the U.S. who overwhelmingly and strongly expressed their support of
unlimited travel to the Caribbean nation, the travel ban put forward by
Republican congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, was dismissed.