Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, is hailing a provision in a huge spending bill the U.S. House is scheduled to pass Wednesday that will lift President Bush's restrictions on family travel and remittances to Cuba.

The measure would allow Cuban-Americans to visit family back in Cuba every year, rather than once every three years as decreed by the Bush administration in 2004. It also would ease Bush's restrictions on sending food, money and medicine to Cuban relatives. The provision would not affect the underlying trade and travel embargo against Cuba.

“Many of our neighbors are barred from visiting their sick and dying loved ones because of these burdensome restrictions,” Castor said. “Loosening the restrictions will allow family members to travel during times of personal crisis.”

Castor has been an advocate for easing the restrictions against Cuba and worked with an appropriations subcommittee chairman, Rep. Jose Serrano, D-N.Y., to include the language in the omnibus spending bill that the House is expected to pass tomorrow. The Senate is expected to take up the bill next week.

*