Castros Must Settle U.S. Claims for Seized Private Property Before Normalizing Relations

Washington, DC – May 21, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Representative Tom Rooney (FL-17) today introduced legislation to require Cuba to resolve unsettled and unpaid legal claims with the U.S. before travel and trade restrictions are lifted.

“Insisting that the Castros pay back Americans for property they stole should be non-negotiable in any talks to normalize relations with Cuba,” Rooney said. “It’s bad enough that, if the President gets his way, American trade and travel dollars will be used to prop up the Castro regime and repress the Cuban people. The least we can do is make sure those profits aren’t earned on property stolen from American citizens and businesses and never settled.

“If we don’t demand they resolve outstanding legal claims, how can we expect the Castros to respect the rights of Americans traveling or doing business in Cuba in the future?”

There are approximately $7-8 billion in outstanding claims by American citizens and businesses for properties seized illegally by the Castros – the largest uncompensated seizure of American assets by a foreign government in U.S. history. Although current law requires these claims to be addressed before the embargo is lifted, President Obama has ignored this requirement during recent negotiations with Cuba.

Rooney’s bill, the Cuba Normalization Accountability Act, would require that these claims be settled before the U.S. eases trade and travel restrictions with Cuba. H.R. 2466 is a House companion bill to legislation introduced this week by Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Senator David Vitter (R-LA).