Helms-Burton Act – U.S. legislation introduced in 1995 by U.S. Senator Jesse Helms and Representative Dan Burton to decrease Cuba’s access to world trade, greatly augmenting the restrictions imposed by the Cuban Democracy Act, approved by the House 294 votes to 130 and by the Senate, 74-22. Its March 12, 1996 signing by President Clinton, as the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act, followed the downing of two unarmedHermanos al Rescate light aircraft killing four Cuban-Americans (three U.S. citizens) over international waters. It was greeted with protests from Canada, Mexico, Russia, Brazil, and the European union at the provision that the former owners of properties confiscated after the Revolution of 1959 could use the US courts to seek compensation from foreign corporations trafficking with these properties in Cuba. Cuba responded by declaring invalid any claim made under the law: Any American making a claim under the law would be excluded from any possible settlement of the property issue between Cuba and the United States.
The implementation of most of the act’s provisions against foreign companies was in fact suspended by President Clinton, and subsequent U.S. Presidents, for successive six-months periods, as provided for in the legislation.
