Chamber President and CEO Tom Donohue joins House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel to urge the complete lifting of the Cuba embargo at a briefing on May 5, 2009.

 
The United States must ease restrictions on trade and travel to Cuba or its businesses will continue to lose out on a major export market of 11 million consumers located just ninety miles off the U.S. coastline, U.S. Chamber President and CEO Tom Donohue said during a May 5 congressional briefing.

Donohue joined a bipartisan group of 14 House lawmakers, including Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-NY), to call for the repeal of the 50-year-old travel and trade embargo on Cuba. Donohue pointed out that engagement with Cuba would move the island-nation toward a more democratic and free society and present economic opportunities to both American and Cuban businesses and farmers. "For the benefit of both countries, it's time to turn the page," Donohue said. "We're missing major economic opportunities because of the embargo–opportunities that have eagerly been taken up by other countries."

Donohue applauded recent steps by President Obama to loosen restrictions on travel to Cuba and called on the administration to lift travel restrictions for everyone, not just those with family members in Cuba.