Summary of H.Res. 1056 (119th Congress)
Title: Calling for the annulment of the Monroe Doctrine and the development of a “New Good Neighbor” policy in order to foster improved relations and deeper, more effective cooperation between the United States and its Latin American and Caribbean neighbors
Status: Introduced February 10, 2026; referred to the House Committees on Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, and Ways and Means
Primary sponsors: Rep. Nydia Velázquez (and co-sponsors including Reps. Khanna, Garcia, Ramirez, Casar, Pocan, Johnson, Norton, Jayapal, Clarke, Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Tlaib, Jackson, García, Summer Lee, Chuy García, and others)
Purpose and intent
- The bill advocates formally ending the Monroe Doctrine as a guiding policy toward Latin America and the Caribbean.
- It calls for a new framework, termed the “New Good Neighbor” policy, to improve diplomatic relations and broaden cooperation with Western Hemisphere nations.
Key provisions and proposed changes
1. Policy shift
- Directive to the Department of State to explicitly state that the Monroe Doctrine is no longer U.S. policy toward Latin America and the Caribbean.
- Establishment of a comprehensive “New Good Neighbor” policy to replace the Monroe Doctrine.
Policy elements and actions under the New Good Neighbor
- Economic development and trade:
- Develop with multiple federal partners (Treasury, State, USAID) a development approach that respects sovereign economic plans, supports equitable and sustainable transitions, and prioritizes grants and concessional lending.
- Create mechanisms for technology transfer and climate/green development finance.
- Sanctions and unilateral measures:
- Terminate unilateral U.S. sanctions, including the Cuba embargo; work with Congress to revoke or repeal such sanctions.
- Propose amendments to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the National Emergencies Act to ensure robust congressional oversight of unilateral sanctions.
- Consider a legislative framework for automatic review of bilateral assistance if there is extraconstitutional transfer of power, until leadership is deemed legitimate by regional governments and the U.S. and regional partners.
- Sovereignty and diplomacy:
- Respect decisions by sovereign states on membership in international organizations, recognition, and other diplomatic matters.
- Declassification of past U.S. archives related to coups, dictatorships, and human rights abuses in the region to promote transparency.
- Reform of the Organization of American States (OAS) to enhance accountability, transparency, independence of electoral cooperation divisions, ombudsman oversight, and independence of key human rights bodies.
- Financial and development institutions:
- Increase contributions to the Amazon Fund.
- Promote democratic reforms within international financial institutions (IMF, World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank) to empower developing regional economies.
- Support regular issuance of IMF Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to ease balance-of-payments pressures and expand fiscal space for health, education, climate action, and development.
- Advocate for shifts away from austerity, loan conditionality, and regressive policies toward growth, universal health care, education, social protection, progressive taxation, and workers’ rights.
- Climate action and resilience:
- Establish a Loss and Damage Trust under the UN to support climate action in developing countries; secure recurring U.N.-level funding.
- Regional cooperation agenda:
- Collaborate with regional bodies (e.g., CELAC, CARICOM, UNASUR, MERCOSUR, and others) to address climate change, inequality, arms trafficking, illicit financial flows, workers’ rights, Indigenous and Afro-descendant rights, and other shared challenges.
Oversight, governance, and accountability
- Emphasizes full respect for international law and sovereignty in the Western Hemisphere.
- Promotes human rights standards and prohibitions on extrajudicial killings.
- Calls for transparency and accountability within regional bodies like the OAS and its leadership and electoral mechanisms.
Related themes and historical context (as presented in the bill)
- The bill provides a retrospective overview of U.S. interventions historically labeled as Monroe Doctrine-era interventions, including military invasions, coups, sanctions, and covert actions from the 19th to the 21st centuries.
- It references past U.S. actions such as interventions in Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, the Banana Wars, and other regimes, as well as economic and military pressures that shaped U.S.-Latin America relations.
- It notes contemporary policy debates about sanctions, illicit financial flows, ISDS provisions, and the role of regional organizations.
Impact and scope
- Targeted region: Latin America and the Caribbean.
- Domestic implications: Proposes legislative and executive actions to adjust sanctions policy, increase funding for development and climate programs, and reform U.S. engagement with regional institutions.
- International implications: Seeks to improve U.S.–regional relations by prioritizing sovereignty, human rights, transparency, climate finance, and inclusive development, while reducing unilateral coercive measures.
Notes
- As introduced, the bill is a sense-of-the-House resolution rather than a binding authorization or appropriation measure. It sets out a policy direction and proposed steps but would require further legislation and appropriations to implement many of its provisions.
