On July 1, 2010, the US House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture voted 25-20 to lift travel and trade restrictions to Cuba. The Travel Restriction Reform and Export Enhancement Act would have eliminated travel bans to Cuba and prohibit money transfer restrictions. The legislation did not pass, but President Barack Obama later ordered the Departments of State, Treasury, and Homeland Security to take steps to ease restrictions on travel and remittances to Cuba. The regulations allowed greater travel from the US to Cuba for religious and educational purposes, the transfer of up to $2,000 per year to non-family members in Cuba so long as they are not senior government or Communist Party leaders, and allowed all US international airports to service charter flights between the two countries. The regulations built off those issued in April 2009, which eased travel and remittances restrictions for Cuban Americans and their families in Cuba only.



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