2000

April 7, 2000 - Senator Jesse Helms, R-NC, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, favorably reports S. 2382, the Technical Assistance, Trade Promotion and Anti-Corruption Act of 2000, to the Senate floor. Subtitle C of this bill, Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 provides that the President may not impose any unilateral agricultural or medical sanction against a foreign country or entity, (unless there is a declaration of war or hostilities), without submitting a report to Congress and obtaining their approval, and; the President shall terminate any unilateral agricultural or medical sanction in effect at the date of enactment of this Act. 

April 11, 2000 - Senator Phil Gramm, R-TX, Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, sends a letter to Senate Majority Leader, Trent Lott, R-MS, requesting S. 2382 be referred to his committee on Banking. Meanwhile Democratic leadership decides not to consider the bill until it is voted on by the House. 

May 4, 2000 - The Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 is reported out of the Agriculture Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee as an amendment to the FY01 Agriculture Appropriations Act. This Act lifts all current unilateral food and medicine sanctions 180 days after enactment, if the President and the Congress do not agree to re-impose sanctions. Future sanctions on food and medicine would similarly require Congressional consent, in the form of a joint resolution. Supporting Members state that the amendment will open up markets valued at more than $7 billion to American farmers facing depressed commodity prices for the third year in a row. 

May 11, 2000 - Rep. Tom Delay introduces in the Appropriations Committee, a motion to strike the Nethercutt provision that would exempt food and medicines from all unilateral sanctions. By a vote of 35 to 24, the full committee defeats the motion and rejects the amendment to strike this provision. 

May 25, 2000 - With legislation introduced in both the House and Senate to remove restrictions on the sale of food and medicine to Cuba, the Republican House leadership introduces a rule containing self-executing language that would leave Title VIII of the Fiscal Year 2001 Agricultural Appropriations Act unprotected when it reaches the House floor for a vote. As a result of this rule, the sanctions reform language could be easily removed by a single Member requesting a point of order. Realizing that they don’t have the votes, the leadership withdraws the proposed rule. 

June 8, 2000 - Senator John W. Warner, R-VA, joined by Senator Christopher J. Dodd, D-CT, proposed legislation to establish a National Bipartisan Commission on Cuba to examine, evaluate and document the specific achievements of United States policy with respect to Cuba. The legislation was introduced as an amendment to a Department of Defense Senate authorization bill and reiterates the same request made in a 1998 letter sent to President Clinton by Senator Warner and 23 of his colleagues, and supported by three former Secretaries of State, a former Secretary of Defense, two former Secretaries of Agriculture and many foreign policy experts. To access information regarding the new legislation click here.