Newsline for July 3, 2000

I'M BOB ELLISON. OUR REPORT RUNS 1:10.

HERE IS A SUGGESTED LEAD: LIFTING TRADE SANCTIONS ON CUBA IS STILL NOT A DONE DEAL. BOB ELLISON HAS MORE.

ACTUALITIES COME FROM AMERICAN FARM BUREAU GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS SPECIALIST AUDRAE ERICKSON. AUDRAE IS SPELLED A-U-D-R-A-E.

THERE ARE TWO EXTRA ACTUALITIES FOLLOWING THE STORY. IN THE FIRST EXTRA ACTUALITY, ERICKSON SAYS THERE ARE DIFFERENCES IN CREDIT AVAILABILITY FOR CUBA IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE VERSIONS OF SANCTIONS LEGISLATION. IN THE SECOND EXTRA ACTUALITY, ERICKSON SAYS THERE ARE DIFFERENCES IN TOURISM POLICY IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE VERSIONS OF SANCTIONS LEGISLATION.

STAND BY, THE STORY COMES FIRST IN 3...2...1...

(ELLISON) THE AMERICAN FARM BUREAU'S AUDRAE ERICKSON SAYS THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HOUSE AND SENATE VERSIONS OF LEGISLATION TO LIFT SANCTIONS ON CUBA.

(ERICKSON) WE DID HAVE TWO IDENTICAL BILLS AT ONE POINT. BUT NOW THE HOUSE COMPROMISE REACHED WITH LEADERSHIP DIFFERS FROM THE VERSION PASSED BY EVEN THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.

(ELLISON) ERICKSON SAYS THE NEW HOUSE VERSION DENIES CUBA ACCESS TO EITHER GOVERNMENT OR PRIVATE FINANCING AND MAKES IT HARDER FOR AMERICAN TOURISTS TO TRAVEL TO CUBA. SHE SAYS THERE IS STILL A LOT OF WORK TO DO BEFORE THE U-S REOPENS TRADE WITH THE COMMUNIST NATION.

(ERICKSON) IN TERMS OF WHETHER IT'S ATTACHED TO AGRICULTURAL APPROPRIATIONS OR ANOTHER BILL, THERE WILL ULTIMATELY NEED TO BE A FINAL VOTE ON THE FLOOR BEFORE THIS IS A COMPLETED OPENING OF SANCTIONS.

(ELLISON) STILL, ERICKSON SAYS IT IS SIGNIFICANT THAT AN EFFORT TO LIFT TRADE SANCTIONS ON CUBA HAS GOTTEN SO FAR.

(ERICKSON) BY HAVING THE HOUSE LEADERSHIP AND THE TWO MIAMI REPRESENTATIVES AGREE THAT SOME FOOD AND MEDICAL SALES COULD BE MADE TO CUBA, IN PARTICULAR, AND MAKE THAT COMMITMENT PUBLICLY THAT THEY SEE THAT THE TIDE HAS CHANGED.

(ELLISON) IN ADDITION TO CUBA, THE LEGISLATION WOULD ALSO LIFT SANCTIONS ON NORTH KOREA, IRAN, SUDAN AND LIBYA.

BOB ELLISON, WASHINGTON.

STAND BY FOR THE FIRST EXTRA ACTUALITY. THE CUT RUNS TEN SECONDS, IN 3...2...1...

(ERICKSON) THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS ON COMMERCIAL CREDIT IN THE SANCTIONS VERSION IN THE SENATE AND THERE ARE THOSE RESTRICTIONS IN THE HOUSE VERSION. THAT'S ONE BIG DIFFERENCE.

(ELLISON) STAND BY FOR THE SECOND EXTRA ACTUALITY. THE CUT RUNS EIGHT SECONDS, IN 3...2...1...

(ERICKSON) THERE ARE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ON TOURIST TRAVEL TO CUBA IN THE HOUSE VERSION THAT ARE NOT PRESENT IN THE SENATE VERSION.

(ELLISON) THE FARM BUREAU RADIO NEWSLINE IS UPDATED EVERY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY AT 5 P.M. EASTERN TIME. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.