Senate Resolution 5 - Introduced SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 5 BY SODDERS A Resolution supporting an enhanced trade relationship 1 between Iowa and Cuba. 2 WHEREAS, Iowa leads the nation in corn production, 3 pork production, and egg production, and is second 4 in the nation in soybean production and red meat 5 production; and 6 WHEREAS, Iowa is home to approximately one-third of 7 the 100 largest food manufacturers or processors in the 8 United States and Canada and the food industry accounts 9 for approximately one-quarter of Iowa’s manufacturing 10 and employs more than 50,000 Iowans; and 11 WHEREAS, enhancing trade with Cuba would create a 12 huge potential market for Iowa farmers and producers as 13 Cuba relies on imports for approximately 80 percent of 14 its food and the demand for food products, especially 15 meat, will increase as economic conditions improve in 16 Cuba; and 17 WHEREAS, advanced manufacturing drives Iowa’s 18 economy and is Iowa’s largest industry with just under 19 14 percent of Iowa’s total employment resulting from 20 manufacturing positions; and 21 WHEREAS, enhancing trade with Cuba could increase 22 the need for advanced manufacturing products as Cuba 23 maintains extensive functional antique automobile and 24 farm machinery collections, which farm machinery will 25 need to be replaced as Cuba takes steps to privatize 26 more of its agricultural land; and 27 WHEREAS, Iowa has a long history of positive 28 -1- LSB 1667XS (5) 86 ad/nh 1/ 2
S.R. 5 interaction with nondemocratic political nations to the 1 benefit of Iowa’s business interests without embracing 2 those nations’ political structures or approving human 3 rights violations; and 4 WHEREAS, such positive interaction was demonstrated 5 when Iowa received the Union of Soviet Socialist 6 Republics Premier, Nikita Khrushchev in 1959, and in 7 the positive relationship Iowa currently maintains with 8 President Xi Jinping, the president of the People’s 9 Republic of China; and 10 WHEREAS, Cuba has a population of over 11 million 11 people relying on imports for food, manufacturing, 12 and production commodities, and increased trade could 13 further Iowa’s market opportunities while allowing 14 the Cuban people to have access to better quality 15 food, better machinery, better technology, and a more 16 positive relationship with a democratic nation; NOW 17 THEREFORE, 18 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the Senate 19 supports efforts to lessen and eliminate trade 20 restrictions to Cuba; and 21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Senate supports an 22 enhanced trade relationship between Iowa and Cuba for 23 the benefit of both the people of Cuba and the people 24 of Iowa. 25 -2- LSB 1667XS (5) 86 ad/nh 2/ 2