The "Baseball Diplomacy Act" removes restrictions preventing Cuban baseball players with specific visas from playing professional baseball in the U.S., earning money, and returning to Cuba.
Steve Cohen
Representative
TN-9
The "Baseball Diplomacy Act" removes restrictions preventing Cuban baseball players from playing in the U.S. This bill allows Cuban nationals with specific visas to play professional baseball, engage in related transactions, and return to Cuba with their earnings. Additionally, it ensures that visas are not denied to Cuban nationals seeking to play professional baseball and allows players to stay in the U.S. for the duration of the baseball season without needing visa renewals if they maintain a valid contract.
Baseball Diplomacy Act Aims to Let Cuban Players Play Ball (and Keep Their Pay) in the U.S.
The "Baseball Diplomacy Act" steps up to the plate with changes aimed squarely at Cuban baseball players wanting to play professionally in the U.S. This proposed legislation directly targets existing restrictions, allowing Cuban nationals entering on a specific work visa (related to temporary non-agricultural workers) to play organized pro ball, manage their earnings as permitted by U.S. regulations (specifically section 515.571 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations), and importantly, return to Cuba with that money. It explicitly states that visas shouldn't be denied just because someone is a Cuban national seeking to play baseball here, and it overrides a specific section (102(h)) of the 1996 LIBERTAD Act that could hinder this.
Clearing the Bases: What Changes for Players?
So, what does this actually mean for a player from Cuba? Section 2 of the bill is the core action: it removes the specific legal hurdles that previously complicated things for Cuban players seeking to play in the U.S. majors or minors. If a player secures the right visa and a contract, this bill intends for them to be able to play, get paid, and head home in the off-season without forfeiting their earnings or facing unique visa denials based purely on their nationality and profession. This directly tackles a long-standing issue where players often faced difficult choices or pathways to play in the U.S.
The Season Pass: Visa Rules Under the Act
Section 3 outlines the visa specifics. Think of it like a season pass: the visa allowing a player to be here under these rules is generally valid just for the duration of the baseball season. However, the bill adds a practical touch: if the player has a valid contract to return to the same professional team the following season, they wouldn't necessarily need a brand new visa application for that subsequent entry. This aims to streamline the process for players maintaining consistent employment with one team.
The Dugout View: Potential Impacts
This bill primarily benefits Cuban baseball players seeking opportunities in the U.S. and the Major League Baseball teams looking to sign international talent. It could foster more direct cultural exchange through sport. However, by allowing players to return with earnings (as per SEC. 2), it might raise concerns among those critical of U.S. engagement with the current Cuban government, seeing it as potentially providing an indirect economic channel. While the bill focuses narrowly on baseball players, it adjusts a piece of the complex U.S.-Cuba relationship, specifically carving out an exception within the framework of existing regulations and the LIBERTAD Act.