THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 20, 1995 TAG: 9510200714
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: KNIGHT-RIDDER NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: NEW YORK LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
The Senate passed a tougher Cuban embargo bill Thursday, two days before Cuban President Fidel Castro is due to arrive to address the United Nations.
Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., the bill's sponsor, joked that he wanted to present the bill to Castro as an early Christmas present to the Cuban people.
Opponents said the bill really would be a Christmas gift to Castro, who can now use it as another excuse to bash the United States and perpetuate his regime.
The final vote of 74-24 to expand economic sanctions against Cuba completed the bill's rough passage through the Senate.
A filibuster and late maneuvering left the legislation far weaker than the version the House passed last month.
Leaders of the House and Senate will have to meet to resolve differences in the two versions, then each chamber must vote on the final compromise.
A Clinton administration official said Thursday that the president would have to review the final results before deciding whether to veto it.
During Senate debate, all sides agreed that the United States should try to prod Cuba into democratic government and seek removal of the Castro regime.
Supporters of the measure, known as the Helms-Burton bill, said tougher sanctions were needed to isolate Castro and deprive him of foreign investments.
That argument prevailed but only after sponsors removed a provision that would allow Cuban-Americans to sue those who confiscated their property in Cuba.
Both versions of the bill would toughen enforcement of restrictions on travel to Cuba, ban financing and trade through foreign subsidiaries and limit aid to other nations that trade with Cuba.
A significant minority of senators said the isolation strategy had failed for more than three decades and that Castro had used the embargo as a rallying point for his anti-U.S. policies.
``I think he will be larger than life when he comes to the United Nations,'' said Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn. ``We have made him a hero when he comes to New York. I regret that.''
Castro and Clinton are to address the U.N. Sunday morning as part of its 50th anniversary celebration. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
HOW THEY VOTED
A ``yes'' vote is a vote to support tighter sanctions against
Cuba.
John W. Warner, R-Va. Yes
Charles S. Robb, D-Va. Yes
Jesse A. Helms, R-N.C. Yes
Lauch Faircloth, R-N.C. Yes
by CNB