McCaskill said she would support ending Cuba embargo

U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill said Monday she will support legislation to lift the United States' trade embargo with Cuba, days after she returned from a trip there.

McCaskill's interest in open trade between the countries aligns with that of Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, as both have said doing away with trade restrictions would create opportunity for Missouri farmers to export large quantities of agricultural commodities to Cuba. The island nation was the primary buyer of rice from the United States before 1962, when diplomatic and economic relationships dissolved.

Nixon and representatives of national and state agriculture industry groups leave for a trade mission to Cuba this weekend.

During her visit, McCaskill, with U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Mark Warner, D-Va., met with trade officials and Cuban citizens and toured a large new port facility financed mostly with loans from Brazil, a major importer of goods to Cuba.

McCaskill used the port to describe the big picture of opening trade with Cuba and beyond.

Rep. Jason Smith

"It holds great potential for Missouri agriculture -- not just in terms that we can lower the trade embargo, not just exports to Cuba, but facilitating grain and other commodity exports through the Panama Canal over to some of the Asian countries," she said.

McCaskill said she believes lifting the embargo, which would require congressional approval, will facilitate positive political changes in Cuba, including hastening progress in human rights.

"The Cuban government has used our lack of relationship with them and the embargo as an excuse for a lack of prosperity and progress in Cuba," McCaskill said. "It's a phony excuse, but it's an excuse that has been fed to the Cuban people decade after decade."

Klobuchar is the sponsor of the Senate bill that would lift the embargo. No such legislation has been filed in the House, but U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, who represents the 8th District that covers Southeast Missouri, said Monday he expects the issue will be much-discussed on the Ways and Means Committee, of which he is a member. The panel deals primarily with tax and trade policies.

The Senate bill has some Republican backing in Congress, and the issue may find some support in the House, particularly from representatives from rural districts.

"I'm someone who believes in fair and free trade, but it has to be fair and free, and that's why looking at Cuba trade, I want to make sure it's in the best interest of our farmers," Smith said during a visit to the district Monday.

Smith said he needs more information about potential trade policies before taking a firm stance.

"I'd hate to say I am for or against anything without seeing the details," he said.

Part of the issue deals with how commodities headed for Cuba have to be paid for up front, which some see as a layer of protection.

Bootheel rice and cotton farmers who met with Nixon this month expressed concern about the way money could change hands differently in future United States-Cuba trade, echoing comments made by some members of Congress who oppose developing new relationships or opening trade because they worry other nations trading with Cuba may not have received all the money due for goods, and they don't want the United States to face the same challenge.

McCaskill addressed that concern in a conference call with reporters Monday.

"I think we shouldn't do business with anybody who can't pay us. But that's not, I don't think, a good enough reason to deny the opportunity of Missouri agriculture to export to Cuba," she said. "I think the businessmen will have to figure out how they are sure they can get paid, and I rely on American businessmen to be pretty good at that. Government shouldn't be making that decision for them. This should be about having the ability to make a decision to where you want to sell, and then you make the decision whether it's a good business risk or not."

Smith lauded the efforts of McCaskill and Nixon.

"I appreciate what the governor is doing, because if we do open up this trade with Cuba, if Missouri is in there building a relationship before everybody else, I think that puts us at the front of the line."

McCaskill said she believes there is opportunity for Missouri agriculture producers to ship more than just rice to Cuba, including other grains, cattle, poultry and pork.

eragan@semissourian.com

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