What This Bill Does
This bill allows Cuban citizens to come to the United States to play professional baseball. It removes certain U.S. government restrictions that would otherwise block these transactions and visa applications.
Who It Affects
Cuban nationals (citizens of Cuba) who want to play organized professional baseball in the United States and the professional baseball teams that hire them.
Key Provisions
• The government cannot use embargo (trade restrictions) powers to stop Cuban baseball players from entering the U.S. or earning money from playing professional baseball (Sec. 2(a))
• The government cannot use immigration authority to deny a visa to a Cuban national wanting to play professional baseball (Sec. 2(b))
• A Cuban baseball player's visa allows them to stay in the United States only during the baseball season (Sec. 3(1))
• A Cuban baseball player does not need to renew their visa for future entries into the U.S. if they have a valid contract with the same professional baseball team from the previous season (Sec. 3(2))
What Changes
The government loses the power to block Cuban citizens from getting visas to play professional baseball or from taking their earnings back to Cuba. Cuban baseball players can now work in the U.S. under a special visa category without needing to renew it each season.
Important Definitions
None defined in the bill text.
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 1075
To waive certain prohibitions with respect to nationals of Cuba coming to
the United States to play organized professional baseball.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 17, 2023
Mr. COHEN (for himself and Mr. POCAN) introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the
Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To waive certain prohibitions with respect to nationals of
Cuba coming to the United States to play organized
professional baseball.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Baseball Diplomacy
4
Act’’.
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SEC. 2. REMOVAL OF CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS.
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(a) RESTRICTION ON EMBARGO AUTHORITY.—The
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authorities of section 620(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act
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•HR 1075 IH
of 1961, those authorities under section 5(b) of the Trad-
1
ing with the Enemy Act that were being exercised with
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respect to Cuba on July 1, 1977, as a result of a national
3
emergency declared before that date, and are being exer-
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cised on the date of the enactment of this Act, and the
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authorities of section 203 of the International Emergency
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Economic Powers Act may not be exercised to regulate
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or prohibit—
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(1) those transactions permitted under section
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515.571 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, by
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or on behalf of a Cuban national who enters the
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United States from Cuba on a visa issued under sec-
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tion 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(b) of the Immigration and
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Nationality Act for the purpose of playing organized
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professional baseball; and
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(2) a Cuban national described in paragraph
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(1) from returning to Cuba with the earnings made
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in playing organized professional baseball.
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(b) RESTRICTION ON IMMIGRATION AUTHORITY.—
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The authority contained in section 212(f) of the Immigra-
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tion and Nationality Act may not be used to deny a visa
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described in subsection (a)(1) to a Cuban national for the
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purpose of playing organized professional baseball.
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(c) INAPPLICABILITY OF OTHER RESTRICTIONS.—
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This section applies notwithstanding section 102(h) of the
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•HR 1075 IH
Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD)
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Act of 1996.
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SEC. 3. DURATION OF VISA.
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A visa described in section 2(a)(1)—
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(1) shall permit the alien to whom the visa is
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issued to remain in the United States only for the
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duration of the baseball season; and
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(2) need not be renewed for subsequent entries
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into the United States for the duration of a valid
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contract entered into between the alien and the pro-
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fessional baseball team with which the alien played
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in the preceding baseball season.
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Æ
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