Rob Sequin | Havana Journal

Dated September 2, 2010, President Obama signed this extension of the “Presidential Memorandum-Continuation of Authorities Under the Trading With the Enemy Act”. This is the law that is commonly known as the Cuba trade embargo. President Obama has eased the Cuba travel embargo recently with new people to people licenses and the authorization giving many US airports the ability to offer charter flights to Cuba.

Under section 101(b) of Public Law 95-223 (91 Stat. 1625; 50 U.S.C. App. 5(b) note), and a previous determination on September 11, 2009 (74 FR 47431, September 16, 2009), the exercise of certain authorities under the Trading With the Enemy Act is scheduled to terminate on September 14, 2010.

I hereby determine that the continuation for 1 year of the exercise of those authorities with respect to Cuba is in the national interest of the United States.

Therefore, consistent with the authority vested in me by section 101(b) of Public Law 95-223, I continue for 1 year, until September 14, 2011, the exercise of those authorities with respect to Cuba, as implemented by the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 515.