Cuba Trade Act of 2015 to end U.S. embargo on Cuba

A Republican U.S. congressman filed a bill Tuesday to eliminate the decades-long U.S. embargo on Cuba.

U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer, who won a seat in the House of Representatives in 2014, filed the Cuba Trade Act of 2015, which would remove restrictions on American businesses from trading with Cuba and allow Americans to travel to the island.

According to a USA Today report, Emmer decided to pursue a full repeal of the embargo after he visited Cuba in June, where he met with Cuban government officials and other citizens who live on the island.

"I understand there's a lot of pain on both sides of this issue that goes back many decades, something that a kid from Minnesota is not going to necessarily be able to understand," Emmer told a USA Today reporter. "But I believe this is in the best interests of the Cuban people. This isn't about the Cuban government — it's about people on the street looking for more opportunity and to improve their quality of life."

The U.S. embargo on Cuba has been in effect for 55 years.