A shift in Cuba policy

By Robert Farley
Published on Tuesday, April 14th, 2009 at 9:04 a.m.

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Obama's new policy will make it easier for Cuban-Americans to take flights to Cuba.

President Barack Obama made good on a significant campaign promise to Cuban-Americans with an announcement on April 13, 2009, that he had taken steps to allow Americans to make unlimited trips to family members in Cuba, and to lift restrictions on money sent to them.

The formal announcement of this major shift in U.S. policy toward Cuba came from White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.

"Today, President Obama has directed that a series of steps be taken to reach out to the Cuban people to support their desire to enjoy basic human rights and to freely determine their country's future," Gibbs said. "The president has directed the secretaries of state, treasury and commerce to carry out the actions necessary to lift all restrictions on the ability of individuals to visit family members in Cuba and to send them remittances."

We rated this one a Promise Kept. For more details, read our full report.