DAVIS WORKING TO HELP CUBAN-AMERICANS VISIT FAMILIES

Tampa congressman and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jim Davis believes in trying again, according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune's Jeremy Wallace.

Last June, the Bush Administration tightened the rules on travel to Cuba, allowing Cuban-Americans to visit immediate family members once every three years.

Davis spoke on the House floor this week after introducing legislation (H.R. 2617) which would return to the old rules, allowing such visits to relatives in the island nation once a year. Many "old school" Cuban-Americans support the new rules, claiming that allowing annual visits weakens the nearly 40-year embargo against Cuba, while most younger folks in the community support loosening the policy.

Similar legislation was passed under Davis' watch last year, but was left out of a comprimise deal eventually approved by the House and Senate. This time, there were 45 co-sponsors, but only one from Florida: Congressman Kendrick B. Meek of Miami.

UPDATE: The House voted against Davis' proposal to loosen travel restrictions 211-208 Friday, and voted to keep the economic embargo in place by a wider 250-169 margin.