H.R. 2415: Baseball Diplomacy Act

This bill, known as the Baseball Diplomacy Act, aims to change certain existing restrictions on Cuban nationals coming to the United States to play organized professional baseball.

Key Provisions

• Waiving Restrictions: The bill proposes to waive specific restrictions under U.S. law that currently prohibit Cuban nationals from entering the U.S. to participate in professional baseball. This includes modifying provisions from three existing laws:
  • The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
  • The Trading with the Enemy Act
  • The International Emergency Economic Powers Act
• Visa Provisions: It allows Cuban nationals to enter the U.S. under a specific visa type (referred to as the H-2B visa) solely for the purpose of playing organized professional baseball.
• Returning Earnings: The bill ensures that Cuban nationals can earn income from playing in the U.S. and return to Cuba with those earnings.
• Immigration Authority: It prohibits the use of particular immigration powers to deny visas to Cuban nationals who intend to play professional baseball.
• Duration of Stay: The bill specifies that the visa will allow for a stay only for the duration of the baseball season. Additionally, this visa will not need to be renewed each season as long as there is a valid contract with a professional baseball team.

Impact and Purpose

The purpose of the Baseball Diplomacy Act is to facilitate the entry of Cuban baseball players into the U.S. professional leagues, recognizing the unique cultural and sporting ties between the United States and Cuba. This legislation is seen as a step towards easing restrictions that historically limited sporting exchanges and professional opportunities for athletes from Cuba.

Relevant Companies

• MLB - Major League Baseball may experience changes in player recruitment and contracts with Cuban players.