To authorize the Agency for International Development to pay the expenses of an election observer mission for the 1989 presidential elections in Panama.
Public Law 101-9 · H.R. 1373 · 101st Congress · began in the House
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Mar 31, 1989 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Rep. Robert Lagomarsino (R-CA-19)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. Jan Meyers
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Authorizes the Agency for International Development to use funds available for development assistance and the economic support fund under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to pay the expenses of an election observer mission for the 1989 presidential elections in Panama.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 12 actions.
- Mar 31, 1989Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-9.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Mar 28, 1989PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Mar 17, 1989FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- Mar 14, 1989FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · On ordering a second Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Broomfield demanded a second on the motion to suspend the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Crockett moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Mar 13, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Foreign Affairs Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.