House majority leader argues trade would benefit U.S. market, speed up island reform

     Paul Richter, Los Angeles Times
 
     Washington -- In a vivid sign of waning support for the economic embargo on Cuba, House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, says that he
     believes the United States should open trade with the communist regime and that he has backed the restrictions on travel and trade only out of loyalty to
     two Cuban American members of the House.

     Speaking at a trade promotion event in Wichita, Kan., on Wednesday, Armey acknowledged that congressional support for the four-decade-old
     restrictions was fading. "If (the restrictions) last a year, it will be the last year," said Armey, who plans to retire from Congress at the end of the year.

     With an eye on elections in the pivotal electoral state of Florida, the White House and GOP congressional leaders have been lobbying fiercely to
     maintain the embargo, which they argue will weaken the regime of Cuban President Fidel Castro.

     But an anti-embargo coalition that includes farm-state lawmakers, northern Democrats and others has been gaining strength steadily in recent years.
     They argue that a free flow of goods and people to Cuba will accelerate the move to a more democratic system while opening up that market to U.S.
     companies.

     Two weeks ago, the House adopted by a lopsided 262-167 vote a measure that would end restrictions on U.S. travel to the island nation. If the Senate
     adopts similar language, as expected, and congressional conferees agree, President Bush will face a tough choice between executing the first veto of his
     term or accepting the first major easing of the embargo in four decades.

     Asked Thursday about Armey's comments, White House spokesman Sean McCormack said the president "is committed to enforcing the embargo. . . .
     He's committed himself to enforcing it more strongly."

     Bush's brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, is facing re-election this fall in a state with a large bloc of Cuban American voters.

     Armey's comments to reporters in Kansas were first reported by the Associated Press and confirmed Thursday by a spokesman for Armey, Gary
     Crist. The majority leader was said to be traveling and unavailable for elaboration.

     INFLUENTIAL REPUBLICAN

     Though Armey is retiring, he remains one of the most influential conservative voices in Congress. As such, his shift of positions probably will carry
     considerable weight with other Republicans.

     In his nine terms in the House, Armey has shown himself to be a staunch opponent of communist regimes. But the former economics professor from the
     farm community of Cando, N.D., also has been passionate about the need to engage other countries in free trade.

     Two years ago, for example, Armey pushed for a change in the law to permit Cuba to buy food and medicine, though only with cash rather than credit.
     But he has voted consistently over the years to maintain the embargo, most recently two weeks ago.

     Still, his general view is that "opening these markets opens these minds," Crist said.

     Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., a leading opponent of the embargo, said Armey's comments showed that "if the House had a secret ballot, there would be an
     additional 75 or 100 votes in favor of lifting restrictions."

     He added: "It's great that a free-trader as staunchly anti-communist as Mr. Armey recognizes that engaging Cuba and lifting the travel ban is the best
     way to undermine Fidel Castro."

     Joe Garcia, executive director of the Cuban American National Foundation, a strong pro-embargo organization, said it was "fortunate that Mr. Armey
     won't have a role in the issue next year."

     He predicted that if the embargo was lifted and Cuba was entitled to purchase U.S. farm goods on credit, the impoverished nation would be unable to
     come up with the money and the U.S. government would have to foot the bill.

     'DEADBEAT DICTATOR'

     "The question is whether U.S. taxpayers are going to be asked to subsidize a deadbeat dictator," Garcia said. He attributed the shifting mood of
     Congress to the fact that "lots of money is being spent by agricultural interests," led by agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland.

     Armey said Wednesday that if his own Dallas-area congressional district had more of an economic stake in trade with Cuba, he might have voted
     differently in the past. But since it didn't, he followed the lead of his friends Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla.,
     who are Cuban-born and staunchly anti-Castro.

     Diaz-Balart and Ros-Lehtinen did not respond to requests for comment.