Indeed, Mr. Bush has stepped up the pressure by opening Television Marti, a network intended to bring anti-Castro news and public affairs programming into Cuban homes.

Mr. Skaggs has led an effort to eliminate all financing of Television Marti on the ground that the money is misspent because its audience in Cuba was tiny.

But the three-hour predawn test of the station, known as Television Marti, was almost entirely blocked in the Havana area by electronic jamming, United States officials said.

Congress has subjected Television Marti to a 90-day trial period.

Mr. Castro is furious about Television Marti.

President Bush has supported Television Marti, but critics have raised such fundamental questions as whether it is legal and even whether it will work.

Some Congressmen are concerned about Television Marti's impact on relations between the United States and Cuba.

By some estimates, the start-up cost of Television Marti could run to $40 million, with annual operating expenses reaching $15.5 million.

Both he and the National Association of Broadcasters say Cuba could easily block reception of Television Marti, making it useless.

Her research also found that only 2 percent of Cubans watched Television Marti, which is also federally financed, largely because Cuba was so successful at jamming its signals.