2022: Schweikert Voted Against An Amendment That Would Have Prohibited The Use Of Funds Under The FY 2023 Budget To Enforce Or Implement Laws That Prevent Financing Agricultural Sales To Cuba. In July 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Schweikert voted against an amendment to the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2023, which would "prohibit the use of any funds made available by the bill to implement, administer or enforce existing law that prohibits financing of agricultural sales to Cuba." The vote was on the adoption of an amendment. The House rejected the amendment by a vote 163-260. [House Vote 380, 7/20/22; Congressional Quarterly, 7/20/22; Congressional Actions, H.Amdt. 300; Congressional Actions, H.R. 8294]
2021: Schweikert Voted For A Resolution That Expressed Solidarity With Cubans Who Protested On July 11, 2020, Condemned The Cuban Government For Repressing Peaceful Protestors And Journalists, Called On Cuba To End Censorship And Free Political Prisoners, And Urged President Biden To Support Cuban Democracy And Human Right Rights. In November 2021, Schweikert voted for a resolution which would, according to Congressional Quarterly, "express solidarity with Cubans who peacefully protested on July 11, 2021, or plan to on Nov. 15 to 'express their desire to live in a free country with self-determination.' It would condemn the Cuban government's 'violent repression' of peaceful protestors and journalists and call on Cuba to end internet restrictions and release political prisoners. It would urge the Biden administration to take certain actions in support of democracy and human rights in Cuba, including to assess possible methods to provide humanitarian assistance to the Cuban people without benefiting the Cuban military." The vote was on passage. The House passed the resolution by a vote of 382-40. [House Vote 355, 11/3/21; Congressional Quarterly, 11/3/21; Congressional Actions, H.Res. 760]
2015: Schweikert Voted Against Restricting Flights And Sea Travel To Cuba. In June 2015, Schweikert voted for an amendment to the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 that would stop funding for programs that restricted travel to Cuba. According to the Congressional Quarterly, the "amendment that would bar use of funds made available by the bill to administer, implement or enforce two sections of the bill. One section would bar use of funds to facilitate new flights originating from the United States that land, or pass through, property confiscated by the Cuban government. The other section would bar use of funds by the Federal Maritime Commission to issue a license or certificate for a commercial vessel that docked or anchored within the previous 180 days within seven miles of a port on property that was confiscated by the Cuban government." The underlying bill was, according to Congressional Quarterly, "A bill making appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2016, and for other purposes." The vote was on passage and the House rejected amendment 176 to 247. [House Vote 306, 6/4/15; Congressional Quarterly, 6/4/15; Congressional Quarterly, Congressional Record, 6/4/15; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 404; Congressional Actions, H.R. 2577]
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA): This Amendment Stops Congress From Implementing A Travel Embargo To Cuba And Is The Right Thing For Diplomacy. According to a floor speech by Rep. Barbara Lee, "I want to thank Mr. Sanford for his leadership as it relates to this amendment and helping us try to end these outdated and failed policies toward Cuba. [...] This amendment would strike two provisions included in this bill that would further limit travel to and from Cuba via flights and ferries. Not only are these provisions inappropriate policy riders, they would deny Americans the right to travel to Cuba. I understand some of my colleagues, including our subcommittee chair, have a personal interest in Cuba, yet personal interest should not stall progress nor interfere with what is good for the American people. I am joined by many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and a diverse coalition of organizations and businesses in strong opposition to this and other attempts to undermine efforts to normalize relations with Cuba. Not only are the current provisions in this bill wrong for diplomacy, they are patently antibusiness. That is why this amendment is supported by the United States Chamber of Commerce, Orbitz, the American Society of Travel Agents, and the broad-based coalition Engage Cuba. These provisions that are currently in the bill set us back 50 years. They would eliminate flights that airlines have already invested in and would kill a new market for maritime carriers. [...] The President's announcement to expand travel was a step in the right direction." [Congressional Record, 6/4/15]
Rep. Diaz-Balart (R-FL): Bill Actually Prevented Cuba From Profiting From The Use Of Stolen Or Confiscated American Property. According to a floor speech by Rep. Diaz-Balart (R-FL), "Let me also talk about what the language in the bill does that this amendment is trying to take out. It doesn't deal with the overriding issue of policy versus whether we like the President's policy or not. It deals with one specific issue and one specific issue only, Mr. Chairman: whether we should condone, whether we should approve, whether we should permit the trafficking of confiscated--in other words, stolen--property. When the gentleman from my side of the aisle said that, you know, this is an issue about traveling to other countries, when we travel to Russia, we should be able to do that, that is fine. But is he also saying, which is what this amendment says, that we should condone the use of stolen, confiscated property, property that was stolen and confiscated illegally from Americans? So if you support this amendment, Mr. Chairman, what you are saying is it is okay to do business on property that was stolen from Americans. " [Congressional Record, 6/4/15]
2015: Schweikert Voted Against Removing A Section From The Underlying Bill That Would Bar Funds Used To "Facilitate, Permit, License Or Promote Exports To The Cuban Military Or Intelligence Service, Or To Any Officer Or Immediate Family Member Of The Cuban Military Or Intelligence Service." In June 2015, Schweikert voted to bar funds to be used in relation with working with Cuba's military. According to Congressional Quarterly, the amendment would have "remove[d] a section of the bill that would bar funds made available by the bill from being used to facilitate, permit, license or promote exports to the Cuban military or intelligence service, or to any officer or immediate family member of the Cuban military or intelligence service." The underlying legislation was H.R. 2578, the FY 2016 Commerce, Justice and related agencies appropriations bill. The vote was on the amendment. The House rejected the amendment by a vote of 153 to 273. The underlying bill passed the House, but died in the Senate after an attempt at becoming a vehicle for a different appropriations bill. [House Vote 277, 6/3/15; Congressional Quarterly, 6/3/15; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 308; Congressional Actions, H.R. 2578]