S-136 — United States-Cuba Trade Act of 2025

YourVoice.Now SummaryAverage Household ImpactTransparency & Accountability

Decades of US law have maintained a near-total embargo on trade and travel with Cuba, prohibiting American businesses from operating there and limiting how much Cuban Americans can send home. This bill would lift the embargo by repealing its legal foundations — including the Foreign Assistance Act embargo authority, the Trading With the Enemy Act Cuba provisions, the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992, and the Helms-Burton Act of 1996. Americans would be free to travel to Cuba for any lawful purpose, US telecommunications companies could operate there, and limits on how much money Americans can remit to Cuba would be removed. Cuba would receive normal trade relations status, and the President could reimpose targeted restrictions if a genuine national security emergency arose.

Average Household Impact

Cuba travel rights — Americans may travel to and from Cuba for any lawful purpose without federal restriction or licensing requirement
Remittance cap to Cuba — Eliminated; Americans may send unlimited amounts to individuals in Cuba

Transparency & Accountability

Presidential reporting before foreign-tax-credit denial — President required to notify Congress before designating Cuba as ineligible for the foreign tax credit

Congressional Summary

United States-Cuba Trade Act of 2025This bill repeals the trade embargo on Cuba and other provisions restricting trade and travel to Cuba.Specifically, the bill (1) removes restrictions on certain transactions related to trademarks used in connection with a confiscated business or asset, (2) extends nondiscriminatory treatment (i.e., normal trade relations treatment) to Cuban products, and (3) prohibits and rescinds limits on remittances to Cuba.The bill authorizes common carriers to provide telecommunications services between the United States and Cuba. In addition, travel by U.S. citizens and residents to Cuba may not be regulated or prohibited if such travel would be lawful in the United States.The President shall take all necessary steps to engage with Cuba to (1) negotiate settlements relating to claims that Cuba had taken the property of U.S. nationals, and (2) secure the protection of internationally recognized human rights. The President may, with respect to Cuba, impose new export controls and exercise powers related to declared national emergencies.The President must submit a specified determination about a foreign country to Congress prior to denying an income tax credit for taxes paid to the foreign country.

Legislative Subjects

Agricultural tradeCaribbean areaCongressional oversightCubaDiplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroadForeign aid and international reliefGovernment liabilityHuman rightsIncome tax creditsIntelligence activities, surveillance, classified informationLatin AmericaNormal trade relations, most-favored-nation treatmentPresidents and presidential powers, Vice PresidentsSanctionsTaxation of foreign incomeTrade restrictionsTravel and tourismWar and emergency powers

Details

Congress: 119th
Chamber: Senate
Status: summarized
Action: Introduced in Senate
Action Date: 2025-01-16
Date Added: 2026-05-01
Source: Congress.gov →

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