December 17, 1982
I applaud the Members of the House of Representatives for their overwhelming vote today in
support of the Caribbean Basin Initiative. This is a positive, self-help, free enterprise method
through which we and our neighbors can assist each other. From our own experience, we know it
will work, and I'm pleased the Members of the House share this confidence.
My recent trip to Latin America convinced me more than ever that the difficulties in the Caribbean
Basin challenge our future as well. By helping the people of the Caribbean, we will help ourselves.
Working together as friends and neighbors, we can be a tremendous power for good.
This program is designed to stimulate growth through trade and tax provisions that will
encourage investment, reward hard work, and create jobs. This initiative will go a long way
toward strengthening the economies of our neighbors while preserving our own vital interests.
Once again, I congratulate the House Members for their important vote and urge the Members of
the Senate to approve the bill before this session of the Congress ends. Positive action now on this
bipartisan initiative will bring new opportunity to our hemisphere, reinforce stability among the
democracies of the New World, and demonstrate for all that prosperity, peace, freedom, and
democracy go hand in hand.