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US Lawmakers Arrive in Cuba


Seven members of the U.S. House of Representatives arrived in Havana Friday to meet with Cuban officials.

Representative Barbara Lee, who heads the delegation, said the group's agenda was not fully set but that they came to "learn and talk" about issues including trade, commerce, tourism and agriculture.

The Democratic congresswoman has co-sponsored a bill that would lift long-standing restrictions on U.S. citizens' travel to Cuba. Earlier this week, U.S. lawmakers introduced identical legislation in the U.S. Senate.

The Wall Street Journal newspaper reported Saturday that President Barack Obama intends to lift the ban on family travel and remittances to the communist island nation.

The president has the authority to relax these rules without going through Congress.

The Journal cited Cuba experts who said Mr. Obama may act in advance of this month's Summit of the Americas, which takes place April 17-19 in Trinidad and Tobago.

The article said Mr. Obama does not plan to call for lifting the decades-long trade embargo against Cuba which would require congressional action.

The U.S. delegation in Cuba has no meeting scheduled with Cuban President Raul Castro during their five-day visit. The delegates are all Democratic members of the Congressional Black Caucus - with the exception of Representative Mike Honda.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

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