WASHINGTON - Democrats controlling Congress are loosening restrictions on allowing people of Cuban descent to visit their relatives on the island.
A huge bill wrapping up last year's budget would block enforcement of restrictions imposed by previous president George W. Bush in 2004 on family travel to Cuba.
The Bush rules limit family visits to once every three years for no more than 14 days.
Travel spending is now capped at $50 per day.
Once signed by Obama, the legislation would allow Cuban-Americans to travel to Cuba once a year to visit relatives, spend up to $170 a day and visit for an unlimited duration.
The bill is slated to pass the House this week and the Senate soon thereafter.
The move is probably a precursor to efforts later this year to ease a long-standing embargo and broader travel restrictions to Cuba.
