Klobuchar attends Cuban embassy opening Monday in Washington

WASHINGTON – Sen. Amy Klobuchar was among lawmakers who attended the reopening of the Cuban embassy Monday in Washington.

Klobuchar, a Democrat, has been a staunch supporter of normalizing U.S.-Cuban relations and since President Barack Obama announced steps in that direction last year, she has advocated opening an embassy.

She said earlier this month when the State Department announced the embassy would reopen that this is the first step to lifting the embargos on U.S. goods being exported to Cuba.

"This evolution in our relationship with 11 million people 90 miles off of our shore was long overdue," Klobuchar said in a statement Monday. "It is now time to not only open our own fully equipped and staffed embassy in Havana, but to lift the trade embargo once and for all."

In February, Klobuchar introduced a bill to lift the embargo on Americans doing business with Cuba. Her democratic colleague, Sen. Al Franken and 19 other senators also support the legislation.

Klobuchar also supports lifting the Cuban travel ban, her office said Monday.

The U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba, was also reopened Monday. The White House issued a statement that said the openings are a "demonstration that we don't have to be imprisoned by the past."

According to the statement, the White House looks "forward to working collaboratively to normalize relations with the Cuban government and people after more than half a century of discord."