(a) It is the sense of the Congress that—
(1)
the historic, economic, political, and geographic relationships among the American Republics are unique and of special significance and, as appropriate, should be so recognized in future legislation;
(2)
although governmental forms differ among the American Republics, the peoples of all the Americas are dedicated to the creation and maintenance of governments which will promote individual freedom;
(3)
the interests of the American Republics are so interrelated that sound social and economic progress in each is of importance to all and that lack of it in any American Republic may have serious repercussions in others;
(4)
for the peoples of Latin America to continue to progress within the framework of our common heritage of democratic ideals, there is a compelling need for the achievement of social and economic advance adequate to meet the legitimate aspirations of the individual citizens of the countries of Latin America for a better way of life;
(5)
there is a need for a plan of hemispheric development, open to all American Republics which cooperate in such plan, based upon a strong production effort, the expansion of foreign trade, the creation and maintenance of internal financial stability, the growth of free economic and social institutions, and the development of economic cooperation, including all possible steps to establish and maintain equitable rates of exchange and to bring about the progressive elimination of trade barriers;
(6)
mindful of the advantages which the United States has enjoyed through the existence of a large domestic market with no internal trade barriers, and believing that similar advantages can accrue to all countries, it is the hope of the people of the United States that all American Republics will jointly exert sustained common efforts which will speedily achieve that economic cooperation in the Western Hemisphere which is essential for lasting peace and prosperity; and
(7)
accordingly, it is declared to be the policy of the people of the United States to sustain and strengthen principles of individual liberty, free institutions, private enterprise, and genuine independence in the Western Hemisphere through cooperation with all American Republics which participate in a joint development program based upon self-help and mutual efforts.
(b) In order to carry forward the above policy, the Congress hereby—
(1)
urges the President through our constitutional processes to develop cooperative programs on a bilateral or multilateral basis which will set forth specific plans of action designed to foster economic progress and improvements in the welfare and level of living of all the peoples of the American Republics on the basis of joint aid, mutual effort, and common sacrifice;
(2)
proposes the development of workable procedures to expand hemispheric trade and to moderate extreme price fluctuations in commodities which are of exceptional importance in the economies of the American Republics, and encourages the development of regional economic cooperation among the American Republics;
(3)
supports the development of a more accurate and sympathetic understanding among the peoples of the American Republics through a greater interchange of persons, ideas, techniques, and educational, scientific, and cultural achievements;
(4)
supports the strengthening of free democratic trade unions to raise standards of living through improved management-labor relations;
(5)
favors the progressive development of common standards with respect to the rights and the responsibilities of private investment which flows across national boundaries within the Western Hemisphere;
(6)
supports the consolidation of the public institutions and agencies of inter-American cooperation, insofar as feasible, within the structure of the Organization of American States and the strengthening of the personnel resources and authority of the Organization in order that it may play a role of increasing importance in all aspects of hemispheric cooperation; and