,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ahih ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,march #bg1 #bjai ,mr4 ,crawford 7for himself and ,mrs4 ,bustos7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 and in addition to the ,committees on ,financial ,services1 and ,agriculture1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to modify the prohibition on ,united ,states assistance and financing for certain exports to ,cuba under the ,trade ,sanctions ,reform and ,export ,enhancement ,act of #bjjj1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,cuba ,agricultural ,exports ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the ,united ,states has a long history of providing safe and reliable exports4 ,close proximity to ,cuba lends itself to low transportation costs for ,united ,states goods exported to ,cuba4 ,the ,united ,states is geographically poised to be a significant trading partner in agricultural commodities4 7#b7 ,cuba imports approximately #hj percent of its food1 with global agricultural exports to ,cuba doubling over the past decade to #a1ijj1jjj1jjj4 7#c7 ,in #bjae1 the ,obama administration reversed a prior rule of the ,department of the ,treasury that defined cash in advance to require that cash payments must be made before ,united ,states products leave ,united ,states ports4 ,the new rule defines cash in advance as cash before transfer of title1 facilitating more efficient trade with ,cuba4 7#d7 ,the ,trump administration has retained this definition and stated in its ,national ,security ,presidential ,memorandum on ,cuba that forthcoming regulatory changes shall not prohibit transactions that support the sale of agricultural commodities consistent with the ,trade ,sanctions ,reform and ,export ,enhancement ,act of #bjjj4 7#e7 ,united ,states agricultural exporters are still not permitted to extend credit to ,cuban buyers1 including ,,alimport1 a ,state-owned and ,state-controlled entity that makes all decisions regarding ,united ,states exports to the ,cuban market4 ,as a result1 ,united ,states agricultural exports to ,cuba have declined and ,united ,states exporters face a key disadvantage relative to other exporting countries4 ,notably1 rice exports fell from a value of #fd1jjj1jjj in #bjjd to essentially #j in #bjji and subsequent years4 7#f7 ,despite these restrictions1 the ,united ,states has been the largest exporter of agricultural goods to ,cuba over the last decade4 ,however1 the ,united ,states slipped to being the second leading exporter of agricultural goods to ,cuba in #bjac and the third leading exporter of agricultural goods to ,cuba in #bjad4 ,for many of ,cuba's top agricultural imports1 such as wheat1 rice1 and dairy1 there have been no transactions with the ,united ,states in well over a decade4 7#g7 ,while trade opportunities exist1 ,cuba remains an undemocratic autocracy that oppresses its own people and restricts freedom4 7#h7 ,with these cautionary factors in mind1 it is important to provide ,united ,states farmers and ranchers additional opportunities to benefit from trade with ,cuba4 #c4 ,modification of prohibition on ,united ,states assistance and financing for certain exports to ,cuba under the ,trade ,sanctions ,reform and ,export ,enhancement ,act of #bjjj 7a7 ,in general ,section #ijh of the ,trade ,sanctions ,reform and ,export ,enhancement ,act of #bjjj 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #gbjg7 is amended as follows3 7#a7 ,in the section heading1 by striking and financing4 7#b7 ,in subsection 7a71 by adding at the end the following3 7#d7 ,exception for certain programs 7,a7 ,in general ,subject to subparagraph 7,b71 paragraph 7#a7 shall not apply with respect to-- 7i7 exports to ,cuba under section #bjb of the ,agricultural ,trade ,act of #aigh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #efbb71 section #bjc of the ,agricultural ,trade ,act of #aigh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #efbc71 or section #gjb of the ,agricultural ,trade ,act of #aigh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #egbb72 or 7ii7 any obligation or expenditure of funds to promote trade with ,cuba by ,federal commodity promotion programs established in accordance with a commodity promotion law1 as defined by section #eja7;a7 of the ,federal ,agriculture ,improvement and ,reform ,act of #aiif 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #gdja7;a774 7,b7 ,restriction on certain recipients ,the exceptions under subparagraph 7,a7 shall not apply if the recipient of the ,united ,states assistance would be an entity controlled by the ,government of ,cuba1 including the ,revolutionary ,armed ,forces of ,cuba1 the ,ministry of the ,interior of ,cuba1 and any subdivision of either such governmental entity4 4 7#c7 ,in subsection 7b71 to read as follows3 7b7 ,financing of sales of agricultural commodities to ,cuba 7#a7 ,in general ,a person subject to the jurisdiction of the ,united ,states may provide payment or financing for sales of agricultural commodities to ,cuba or to an individual or entity in ,cuba4 7#b7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7,a7 ,agricultural commodity ,the term agricultural commodity has the meaning given that term in section #ajb of the ,agricultural ,trade ,act of #aigh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #efjb74 7,b7 ,financing ,the term financing includes any loan or extension of credit4 4 7b7 ,conforming amendment ,subsection 7f77#d7 of section #bjc of the ,agricultural ,trade ,act of #aigh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #efbc71 as amended by section #cbja of title ,,iii of the ,agriculture ,improvement ,act of #bjah 7,public ,law #aae-ccd71 is further amended by striking ,notwithstanding and all that follows through funds made available and inserting ,funds made available4 #d4 ,authority of persons subject to the jurisdiction of the ,united ,states to invest with respect to certain agricultural business in ,cuba 7a7 ,in general ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 a person subject to the jurisdiction of the ,united ,states may make an investment with respect to the development of an agricultural business in ,cuba if the ,secretary of ,state and ,secretary of ,agriculture jointly determine that-- 7#a7 the agricultural business is not controlled by the ,government of ,cuba1 including the ,revolutionary ,armed ,forces of ,cuba1 the ,ministry of the ,interior of ,cuba1 or any subdivision of either such governmental entity2 and 7#b7 the agricultural business does not traffic in the property of persons subject to the jurisdiction of the ,united ,states that was confiscated by the ,cuban ,government on or after ,january #a1 #aiei4 7b7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,agricultural business ,the term agricultural business means any entity involved in the production1 manufacture1 or distribution of agricultural products 7as such term is defined in section #bjg of the ,agricultural ,marketing ,act of #aidf 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #afbf774 7#b7 ,confiscated1 ,cuban ,government1 property1 and traffic ,the terms confiscated1 ,cuban ,government1 property1 and traffic have the meanings given such terms in section #d of the ,cuban ,liberty and ,democratic ,solidarity 7,,libertad7 ,act of #aiif 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #fjbc74 7#c7 ,investment ,the term investment1 with respect to the development of an agricultural business in ,cuba1 means-- 7,a7 entry into a contract involving the purchase of a share of ownership1 including an equity interest1 in the development of the agricultural business2 7,b7 entry into a contract providing for participation in royalties1 earnings1 or profits in the development of the agricultural business2 or 7,c7 entry into1 or performance or financing of1 a contract to sell goods1 services1 or technology relating to the agricultural business4