The FORCE Act would prohibit the President or the Secretary of State from removing Cuba from the U.S. government's list of state sponsors of terrorism until a specific presidential determination required by the LIBERTAD Act (1996) has been made. In other words, Cuba would remain on the terrorism-sponsorship list unless and until the President issues the designated determination that meets the LIBERTAD Act’s conditions for removal. The bill also defines “state sponsor of terrorism” by referencing several existing statutes (Export Control Reform Act, Foreign Assistance Act, and Arms Export Control Act, plus any other applicable law). The measure is framed as a progeny of U.S. policy toward Cuba, explicitly tying any removal to a formal, pre-existing determination process. The title and framing emphasize a hard-edged stance against the Cuban regime, with the name “Fighting Oppression until the Reign of Castro Ends” (FORCE Act) reflecting the sponsor’s policy objective. The text provided covers the prohibition on removal and how “state sponsor of terrorism” would be defined; it does not include additional provisions that may appear in the full bill.
Key Points
- 1Prohibits removal: Neither the President nor the Secretary of State may remove Cuba from the state sponsors of terrorism list until the required Presidential determination under Section 205 of the LIBERTAD Act has been made.
- 2Presidential determination trigger: The removal process is contingent on a specific determination described in the LIBERTAD Act, which sets conditions and timelines for Cuba’s potential removal.
- 3Definition of “state sponsor of terrorism”: The bill specifies that a country is a state sponsor of terrorism if the Secretary of State has repeatedly determined it provides support for international terrorism under multiple statutory authorities (Export Control Reform Act; Foreign Assistance Act; Arms Export Control Act; or any other applicable law).
- 4Statutory alignment: The designation relies on existing U.S. law definitions and mechanisms, ensuring that removal would be evaluated under established criteria rather than a new or separate standard.
- 5Short title and purpose: The act is titled the FORCE Act, with a subtitle that signals intent to oppose and counter the Cuban regime until it changes, reflecting a policy goal beyond routine diplomacy.