RESOLUTION NO. 2017-0151

Adopted by the Sacramento City Council

April 25, 2017

CALLING FOR AN END TO THE UNITED STATES' ECONOMIC, COMMERCIAL

AND FINANCIAL EMBARGO AGAINST CUBA

BACKGROUND

A. In 1960, the United States government imposed an economic, commercial and

financial embargo against Cuba.

B. The U.S. embargo against Cuba continues to inflict hardship on the men, women

and children of Cuba by creating shortages of food, medicine, financial and trade

opportunities.

C. On December 17, 2014, U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President

Raul Castro announced a new era of relations between the two countries and

agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations.

D. Cuba and the United States re-opened their respective embassies in 2015.

E. Despite a few changes made by President Obama the U.S. embargo continues

to be in place.

F. The 1996 Helms Burton Act extended the territorial application of the initial

embargo to apply to foreign companies trading with Cuba.

G. 191 countries out of 193 voted at the United Nations General Assembly in

October 2015 in favor of lifting the U.S. embargo against Cuba.

H. The majority of the people of the United States believe this embargo is

ineffective, inhumane and in violation of U.S. laws and international conventions.

I. The embargo denies United States citizens access to Cuban medical technology

such as the diabetes drug Heberpot-P, vaccines for meningitis B and hepatitis B,

monoclonal antibodies for kidney transplants, as well as the only therapeutic

vaccine in the world against advanced lung cancer, called CIMA V AX-EGF.

Resolution 2017-0151 April 25, 2017 Page 1 of 3

BASED ON THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE BACKGROUND, THE CITY COUNCIL

RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. The City Council of the City of Sacramento hereby calls for an immediate

end to the United States' economic, commercial and financial embargo

against Cuba.

Section 2. The Mayor and City Council of the City of Sacramento supports the

following Bills in Congress: 1) The Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act of 2017

(H.R. 351), introduced by Rep. Mark Sanford (R-SC 1st) and Rep. James

McGovern (D-MA 2nd); 2) The Cuba Trade Act of 2017 (H.R. 442),

introduced by Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN 6th); 3) The Cuba Agricultural

Exports Act (H.R. 525), introduce by Rep. Eric A. Crawford (R-AK-1st);

and strongly encourages Representative Doris Matsui to join the list of cosponsors

for all four bills.

Section 3. The Mayor and City Council of the City of Sacramento supports the

following Bills in the Senate:

1) The Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act of 2015 (S299), introduced by Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ), language of which is identical to H.R 351,

2) The Agricultural Export Expansion Act of 2017 (S.275), introduced by Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND);

3) Cuba Trade Act of 2017, introduced by Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS);

4) Cuba DATA Act (S.1389), introduced by Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM); and strongly encourages Senators Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein to join the list of cosponsors of both bills.

Section 4. The Mayor and City Council of the City of Sacramento directs the City

Clerk to send copies of this resolution to Representative Matsui and

Senators Harris and Feinstein.

Resolution 2017-0151 April 25, 2017 Page 2 of 3

Adopted by the City of Sacramento City Council on April 25, 2017, by the following vote:

Ayes: Members Ashby, Guerra, Hansen, Harris, Jennings, Schenirer, Warren

and Mayor Steinberg

Noes: Member Carr

Abstain: None

Absent: None

Attest:

The presence of an electronic signature certifies that the foregoing is a true and correct copy as approved

by the Sacramento City Council.

Resolution 2017-0151 April 25, 2017 Page 3 of 3