Enterprise for the Americas Initiative Act of 1992
Public Law 102-532 · H.R. 4059 · 102nd Congress · began in the House
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Oct 27, 1992 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Rep. Kika de la Garza (D-TX-15)
Cosponsors: None
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.
Enterprise for the Americas Initiative Act of 1992 - Amends the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 to authorize the President to sell to a Latin American or Caribbean country up to 40 percent of its qualified, Paris Club-rescheduled debt (owed to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation for export credit guarantee purchases of U.S. agricultural commodities), but only if such country uses a certain amount of its local currency (computed according to a specified formula), other than the price paid for the debt through an Environmental Fund for certain eligible activities. (Designates the Environmental Fund for Mexico the Good Neighbor Environmental Fund for the Border.)
Authorizes the President, in order to facilitate eligible debt swaps, to sell, reduce, or cancel such debts.
Requires the Secretaries of State and of the Treasury to notify designated congressional committees before formal negotiations for such debt relief. Requires them to submit to such committees a consolidated annual statement of the budgetary implications of all debt relief agreements entered into under this Act.
Amends the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 to require the President's annual report to the Congress to include, among other things, a: (1) description of activities of the Enterprise for the Americas Facility during the previous fiscal year; (2) description of any Environmental Framework Agreement entered into under this Act; (3) report on the Environmental Fund; and (4) description of grants extended pursuant to an Environmental Framework Agreement.
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish the Center For North American Studies in a higher education institution (or consortium of such institutions) to promote better agricultural relationships among Canada, Mexico, and the United States through cooperative study training, and research. Authorizes appropriations.
Requires the President to report to the Congress on the effect of a hemispherical free trade zone with such countries on the United States economy.
Directs the President to establish the Good Neighbor Environmental Board to advise the President and the Congress on the need for implementation of environmental and infrastructure projects to improve the quality of life of persons residing on the U.S. side of the border with Mexico.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Foreign Affairs Committee · House · markup by, referred toSubcommittee: International Economic Policy and Trade Subcommittee; Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee; Western Hemisphere Subcommittee
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. 23 actions.
- Oct 27, 1992Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 102-532.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 19, 1992PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 7, 1992FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
- Oct 3, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
- Oct 2, 1992FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. de la Garza moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Aug 5, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from International Economic Policy and Trade Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Western Hemisphere Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Jul 22, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Jul 16, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Agriculture Committee
- Jun 30, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Agriculture Committee
- Jun 17, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by House Agriculture Committee
- Dec 10, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Referred to International Economic Policy and Trade Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Western Hemisphere Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Nov 26, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Agriculture Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · 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.