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H.R. 3385 101st Congress House

To provide assistance for free and fair elections in Nicaragua.

Introduced: October 2, 1989 See on congress.gov
International Affairs American economic assistanceCongressional oversightCongressional reporting requirementsDemocracy
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Election administrationGovernment Operations and PoliticsNicaragua
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 Everywhere this bill has been 40 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 21, 1989
Became Public Law No: 101-119.
Oct 21, 1989
Signed by President.
Oct 20, 1989
Presented to President.
Oct 19, 1989
Measure Signed in Senate.
Oct 18, 1989
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Oct 17, 1989
Passed Senate without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 64-35. Record Vote No: 250.
Oct 17, 1989
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 64-35. Record Vote No: 250.
Oct 17, 1989
Amendment SP 1001 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 32-66. Record Vote No: 249.
Oct 17, 1989
Amendment SP 1001 proposed by Senator Dodd.
Oct 17, 1989
Amendment SP 1010 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 33-64. Record Vote No: 248.
Oct 17, 1989
Amendment SP 1010 proposed by Senator Harkin.
Oct 17, 1989
Amendment SP 1005 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 25-74. Record Vote No: 247.
Oct 17, 1989
Motion to table SP 1027 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 59-40. Record Vote No: 246.
Oct 17, 1989
Amendment SP 1027 proposed by Senator Harkin to Amendment SP 1005.
Oct 17, 1989
Amendment SP 1005 proposed by Senator Adams.
Oct 17, 1989
Second cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 74-25. Record Vote No: 245.
Oct 17, 1989
Considered by Senate.
Oct 13, 1989
Second cloture motion presented in Senate.
Oct 13, 1989
Cloture not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 52-42. Record Vote No: 244.
Oct 13, 1989
Considered by Senate.
Oct 12, 1989
Committee on Appropriations. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Oct 12, 1989
Cloture motion presented in Senate.
Oct 12, 1989
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
Oct 12, 1989
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 292.
Oct 12, 1989
Committee on Appropriations. Reported to Senate by Senator Leahy without amendment. Without written report.
Oct 6, 1989
Received in the Senate and read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
Oct 4, 1989
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Oct 4, 1989
On passage Passed by recorded vote: 263 - 156 (Roll No. 270).
Oct 4, 1989
The previous question was ordered without objection.
Oct 4, 1989
DEBATE - Pursuant to H. Res. 256, the House proceeded with one hour of debate on the Durbin amendment.
Oct 4, 1989
ADOPTION OF AMENDMENTS - Pursuant to House Resolution 256, the amendments recommended by the Committee on Appropriations were considered as adopted.
Oct 4, 1989
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 256, the House proceeded with one hour of debate.
Oct 4, 1989
Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 3385 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit. Upon adoption of this rule, it shall be in order to consider the bill in the House and all points of order against the bill or its consideration shall be waived. Measure will be read by title. Specified amendments are in order. The amendments recommended by the Committee on Appropriations shall be considered as having been adopted. It shall be in order to consider the amendment printed in the report accompanying this resolution, if offered by Mr. Durbin or his designee, said amendment to be debatable for not to exceed one hour and not subject to amendment.
Oct 4, 1989
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 256.
Oct 4, 1989
Rule H. Res. 256 passed House.
Oct 3, 1989
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 256 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 3385 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit. Upon adoption of this rule, it shall be in order to consider the bill in the House and all points of order against the bill or its consideration shall be waived. Measure will be read by title. Specified amendments are in order. The amendments recommended by the Committee on Appropriations shall be considered as having been adopted. It shall be in order to consider the amendment printed in the report accompanying this resolution, if offered by Mr. Durbin or his designee, said amendment to be debatable for not to exceed one hour and not subject to amendment.
Oct 3, 1989
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Appropriations. H. Rept. 101-265, Part I.
Oct 2, 1989
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Oct 2, 1989
Referred to the House Committee on Appropriations.
Oct 2, 1989
Introduced in House
 Votes taken on this bill 7
DateChamberWhat was voted onResultYes–No
Oct 17, 1989 Senate · vote #250 On Passage of the Bill H.R. 3385 Passed 64–35 See who voted →
Oct 17, 1989 Senate · vote #249 On the Amendment S.Amdt. 1001 to H.R. 3385 (No short title on file) Rejected 32–66 See who voted →
Oct 17, 1989 Senate · vote #248 On the Amendment S.Amdt. 1010 to H.R. 3385 (No short title on file) Rejected 33–64 See who voted →
Oct 17, 1989 Senate · vote #247 On the Amendment S.Amdt. 1005 to H.R. 3385 (No short title on file) Rejected 25–74 See who voted →
Oct 17, 1989 Senate · vote #246 On the Motion to Table S.Amdt. 1027 to S.Amdt. 1005 to H.R. 3385 (No short titl… Agreed To 59–40 See who voted →
Oct 17, 1989 Senate · vote #245 On the Cloture Motion H.R. 3385 Agreed To 74–25 See who voted →
Oct 13, 1989 Senate · vote #244 On the Cloture Motion H.R. 3385 Rejected 52–42 See who voted →
 Amendments to this bill 44

Amendments propose changes to this bill. Members vote on amendments separately before the final bill vote. An agreed amendment becomes part of the bill; a failed amendment does not.

2 agreed to 4 failed 38 with no recorded outcome

AmendmentSponsorPurposeStatusLatest action
SAMDT 1,027 – Providing that funds not be made available directly or indirectly to the Government of Nicaragua. Agreed to Oct 17, 1989
SAMDT 1,010 – To reduce the amount and restrict the use of funds for election support and monitoring. Failed Oct 17, 1989
SAMDT 1,005 – To provide additional funding for the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1986 and to provide activities… Failed Oct 17, 1989
SAMDT 1,001 – To provide a substitute amendment. Failed Oct 17, 1989
HAMDT 279 – – Agreed to Oct 4, 1989
HAMDT 271 Durbin, Richard J. An amendment to delete $8.6 million of the funds provided in the bill for aid to the Nicaraguan opposition pa… Failed Oct 4, 1989
SAMDT 1,039 – To prohibit funds for U.S. media and political consultants. No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,038 – – No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,037 – – No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,036 – – No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,035 – – No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,034 – – No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,033 – – No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,032 – To provide additional funding for the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1986, and to provide activitie… No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,031 – Providing that funds not be made available directly or indirectly to the Government of Nicaragua. No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,030 – Providing that funds not be made available directly or indirectly to the Government of Nicaragua. No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,029 – Providing that funds not be made available directly or indirectly to the Government of Nicaragua. No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,028 – Providing that funds not be made available directly or indirectly to the Government of Nicaragua. No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,026 – Providing that funds not be made available directly or indirectly to the Government of Nicaragua. No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,025 – To provide funding for free and fair elections, should other funds be available. No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,024 – – No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,023 – – No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,022 – – No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,021 – – No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,020 – – No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,019 – – No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,018 – – No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,017 – – No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,016 – – No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,015 – – No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,014 – – No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,013 – – No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,012 – To limit official contacts between congressional staff and the Sandinista government. No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,009 – Providing that funds not be made available directly or indirectly to the Government of Nicaragua. No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,008 – Providing that funds not be made available directly or indirectly to the Government of Nicaragua. No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,007 – Providing that funds not be made available directly or indirectly to the Government of Nicaragua. No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,006 – – No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,003 – To provide additional funding for the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1986, and to provide activitie… No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,002 – Providing that funds not be made available directly or indirectly to the Government of Nicaragua. No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 1,000 – To provide additional funding for the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1986 and to provide activities… No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 999 – To provide additional funding for the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1986, and to provide activitie… No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 998 – Providing that funds not be made available directly or indirectly to the Government of Nicaragua. No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 997 – – No recorded outcome –
SAMDT 996 – – No recorded outcome –
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 Latest action October 21, 1989

Became Public Law No: 101-119.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Authorizes the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (AID) to use specified amounts of unexpended funds for assistance for the promotion of democracy and national reconciliation in Nicaragua. Restricts the use of such funds to assistance to internal groups, including political organizations, independent elements of the media, labor unions, business groups, support for the election process and monitoring, and support intended to ensure the conduct of free, fair, and open elections consistent with the charter of the National Endowment for Democracy. Earmarks funds for the Council of Freely-Elected Heads of Government, the Center for Democracy, and the Center for Training and Election Promotion.

Requires AID to report to the appropriate congressional committees prior to the obligation of funds under this Act.

Expresses the sense of the Congress that the National Opposition Union's representative on the Supreme Electoral Council will seek to ensure that any funds going to the Council are used solely for technical electoral purposes, such as ballot boxes and ballot printing.

Makes funds under this Act available until February 28, 1990.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • HRES 256 Procedurally related Providing for the consideration of the bill (H.R. 3385) to provide assistance for free and fair elections in Nicaragua.
 Bill text 7 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 3385: To provide assistance for free and fair elections in Nicaragua.. 101st Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HR-3385/
MLA
"H.R. 3385: To provide assistance for free and fair elections in Nicaragua.." 101st Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HR-3385/.
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H.R. 3385, 101st Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HR-3385/.
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