[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1041 Reported in Senate (RS)]

<DOC>





                                                        Calendar No. 86
117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1041

 To advance the strategic alignment of United States diplomatic tools 
  toward the realization of free, fair, and transparent elections in 
   Nicaragua and to reaffirm the commitment of the United States to 
  protect the fundamental freedoms and human rights of the people of 
                   Nicaragua, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 25, 2021

   Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Durbin, Mr. 
Cardin, Mr. Murphy, and Mr. Cruz) introduced the following bill; which 
   was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

                             June 24, 2021

              Reported by Mr. Menendez, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To advance the strategic alignment of United States diplomatic tools 
  toward the realization of free, fair, and transparent elections in 
   Nicaragua and to reaffirm the commitment of the United States to 
  protect the fundamental freedoms and human rights of the people of 
                   Nicaragua, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the 
``Reinforcing Nicaragua's Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform 
Act of 2021'' or the ``RENACER Act''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act 
is as follows:</DELETED>

<DELETED>Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
<DELETED>Sec. 2. Findings.
<DELETED>Sec. 3. Sense of Congress.
<DELETED>Sec. 4. Restrictions on international financial institutions 
                            relating to Nicaragua.
<DELETED>Sec. 5. Targeted sanctions to advance democratic elections.
<DELETED>Sec. 6. Developing and implementing a coordinated sanctions 
                            strategy with diplomatic partners.
<DELETED>Sec. 7. Inclusion of Nicaragua in list of countries subject to 
                            certain sanctions relating to corruption.
<DELETED>Sec. 8. Classified report on the involvement of Ortega family 
                            members and Nicaraguan government officials 
                            in corruption.
<DELETED>Sec. 9. Classified report on the activities of the Russian 
                            Federation in Nicaragua.
<DELETED>Sec. 10. Report on human rights abuses in the interior of 
                            Nicaragua.
<DELETED>Sec. 11. Supporting independent news media and freedom of 
                            information in Nicaragua.
<DELETED>Sec. 12. Amendment to short title of Public Law 115-335.
<DELETED>Sec. 13. Definition.

<DELETED>SEC. 2. FINDINGS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Congress makes the following findings:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Adopted by the Organization of American States 
        (in this Act referred to as the ``OAS'') on October 21, 2020, 
        the Resolution Restoring Democratic Institutions and Respect 
        for Human Rights in Nicaragua Through Free and Fair Elections 
        (in this section referred to as the ``OAS Resolution'') 
        reiterated hemispheric concern that the government of President 
        Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua has failed to release all political 
        prisoners and implement agreed-upon measures to ensure freedom 
        of expression.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) The OAS Resolution called on the Ortega 
        government to accept the deployment of domestic and 
        international electoral observation missions and outlined a 
        need for timely, inclusive negotiations to achieve meaningful 
        electoral reforms, including the modernization of the Supreme 
        Electoral Council, the revitalization of a pluralistic 
        political process, and an independent audit of Nicaraguan voter 
        rolls.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) A November 19, 2019, report from the OAS High 
        Level Commission on Nicaragua noted the Ortega government had 
        engaged in significant efforts since April 2018 to curtail the 
        fundamental rights of the citizens of Nicaragua, including 
        repeated acts of police intimidation and at least 325 murders, 
        which were predominately committed by government security 
        forces.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) On April 21, 2018, Nicaraguan journalist Angel 
        Gahona was killed while broadcasting live on social protests in 
        the country. Since April 2018, the Ortega government has 
        increased its harassment of independent media, which includes 
        December 2019 police raids of the digital newspaper 
        Confidencial and the 100% Noticias news channel, and a 
        September 2020 court-ordered seizure of assets belonging to 
        independent broadcaster Nicavision Canal 12.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Since 2007, family members of President Daniel 
        Ortega and their political allies have purchased over a dozen 
        TV channels, radio stations, and online news sites in 
        Nicaragua, including Canal 4, 8, and 13, Radio Nicaragua, and 
        El 19 Digital, to increase pro-government media coverage and 
        silence media coverage critical of the government.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) Sandinista National Liberation Front members 
        of the National Assembly of Nicaragua, with support from the 
        Ortega government, recently approved legislation to obstruct 
        citizen mobilization and codify the persecution of political 
        opponents, including--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the Foreign Agents Regulation Law on 
                October 15, 2020, which requires civil society, 
                nongovernmental organizations, and citizens who receive 
                funds originating from abroad to register as ``foreign 
                agents'', and bars them from engaging in domestic 
                political activity;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the Special Cybercrimes Law on October 
                27, 2020, which established prison sentences for 
                individuals who spread information online that the 
                Government of Nicaragua deems to be false or construes 
                to cause alarm, terror, or unease in the 
                public;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) the Self-Determination Law on December 
                21, 2020, which provides President Ortega with the 
                authority to unilaterally declare citizens 
                ``terrorists'' or ``traitors to the homeland'' for 
                opposing his rule and ban them from running for public 
                office, effectively preventing any individuals who 
                supported the 2018 protests from being candidates; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) the reform to the Consumer Protection 
                Law on February 4, 2021, which provides the Government 
                of Nicaragua the authority to mandate Nicaraguan 
                commercial banks to overturn and ignore sanctions 
                imposed by the United States with respect to persons on 
                the list of specifically designated national and 
                blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign 
                Assets Control of the Department of the 
                Treasury.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) According to preliminary reports of the 
        Government of Nicaragua, Hurricanes Eta and Iota, which made 
        landfall in Nicaragua on November 3 and November 16, 2020, 
        respectively, affected more than 3,000,000 individuals and 
        resulted in an economic loss in excess of $742,000,000. 
        Indigenous Miskito and Mayangna communities situated in the 
        North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region bore the brunt of the 
        devastation, with at least 23 indigenous territories and 
        upwards of 147,000 indigenous inhabitants directly impacted by 
        the weather phenomena.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    It is the sense of Congress that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) ongoing efforts by the government of President 
        Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua to suppress the voice and actions of 
        civil society, political opponents, and independent news media 
        violate the fundamental freedoms and basic human rights of the 
        people of Nicaragua;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Congress unequivocally condemns the passage of 
        the Foreign Agents Regulation Law, the Special Cybercrimes Law, 
        and the Self-Determination Law by the National Assembly of 
        Nicaragua, which represent clear attempts by the Ortega 
        government to curtail the fundamental freedoms and basic human 
        rights of the people of Nicaragua;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Congress recognizes that free, fair, and 
        transparent elections predicated on robust reform measures and 
        the presence of domestic and international observers represent 
        the best opportunity for the people of Nicaragua to restore 
        democracy and reach a peaceful solution to the political and 
        social crisis in Nicaragua;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) the United States should align the use of 
        diplomatic engagement and all other foreign policy tools, 
        including the use of targeted sanctions, in support of efforts 
        by democratic political actors and civil society in Nicaragua 
        to advance the necessary conditions for free, fair, and 
        transparent elections in Nicaragua;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) the United States, in order to maximize the 
        effectiveness of efforts described in paragraph (4), should--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) coordinate with diplomatic partners, 
                including the Government of Canada, the European Union, 
                and partners in Latin America and the Caribbean; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) advance diplomatic initiatives in 
                consultation with the OAS and the United Nations; 
                and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) pursuant to section 6(b) of the Nicaragua 
        Investment Conditionality Act of 2018, the President should 
        waive the application of restrictions under section 4 of that 
        Act and the sanctions under section 5 of that Act if the 
        Secretary of State certifies that the Government of Nicaragua 
        is taking the steps identified in section 6(a) of that Act, 
        including taking steps to ``to hold free and fair elections 
        overseen by credible domestic and international 
        observers''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 4. RESTRICTIONS ON INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS 
              RELATING TO NICARAGUA.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 4 of the Nicaragua Investment Conditionality Act 
of 2018 is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) by redesignating subsections (a), (b), and (c) 
        as subsections (b), (c), and (d), respectively;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by inserting before subsection (b), as 
        redesignated by paragraph (1), the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
the Secretary of the Treasury should take all possible steps, including 
through the full implementation of the exceptions set forth in 
subsection (c), to ensure that the restrictions required under 
subsection (b) do not negatively impact the basic human needs of the 
people of Nicaragua.'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) in subsection (c), as so redesignated, by 
        striking ``subsection (a)'' and inserting ``subsection (b)''; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) by striking subsection (d), as so 
        redesignated, and inserting the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Increased Oversight.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--The United States Executive 
        Director at each international financial institution of the 
        World Bank Group, the United States Executive Director at the 
        Inter-American Development Bank, and the United States 
        Executive Director at each other international financial 
        institution, including the International Monetary Fund, shall 
        take all practicable steps to increase scrutiny of any loan or 
        financial or technical assistance provided for a project in 
        Nicaragua to ensure that the loan or assistance is being used 
        for the intended purposes.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Mechanisms for increased scrutiny.--The 
        United States Executive Director at each international 
        financial institution described in paragraph (1) shall use the 
        voice, vote, and influence of the United States to encourage 
        that institution to develop oversight mechanisms for new and 
        existing loans or financial or technical assistance provided 
        for a project in Nicaragua to ensure that such loans and 
        assistance are being used for the intended purposes.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(e) Interagency Consultation.--Before implementing the 
restrictions described in subsection (b), or before exercising an 
exception under subsection (c), the Secretary of the Treasury shall 
consult with the Secretary of State and with the Administrator of the 
United States Agency for International Development to ensure that all 
loans and financial or technical assistance to Nicaragua are consistent 
with United States foreign policy objectives as defined in section 
3.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(f) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of the RENACER Act, and annually thereafter until the 
termination date specified in section 10, the Secretary of the 
Treasury, in coordination with the Secretary of State and the 
Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
Development, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
report on the implementation of this section, which shall include--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) summary of any loans and financial and 
        technical assistance provided by international financial 
        institutions for projects in Nicaragua;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) a description of the implementation of the 
        restrictions described in subsection (b);</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) an identification of the occasions in which 
        the exceptions under subsection (c) are exercised and an 
        assessment of how the loan or assistance provided with each 
        such exception may address basic human needs or promote 
        democracy in Nicaragua; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) a description of the results of the 
        increased oversight conducted under subsection 
        (d).''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 5. TARGETED SANCTIONS TO ADVANCE DEMOCRATIC 
              ELECTIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Coordinated Strategy.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--The Secretary of State and the 
        Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the 
        intelligence community (as defined in section 3 of the National 
        Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003)), shall develop and 
        implement a coordinated strategy to align diplomatic engagement 
        efforts with the implementation of targeted sanctions in order 
        to support efforts to facilitate the necessary conditions for 
        free, fair, and transparent elections in Nicaragua.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Briefing required.--Not later than 60 days 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 60 days 
        thereafter until December 31, 2021, the Secretary of State and 
        the Secretary of the Treasury shall brief the Committee on 
        Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign 
        Affairs of the House of Representatives on steps to be taken by 
        the United States Government to develop and implement the 
        coordinated strategy required by paragraph (1).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Targeted Sanctions Prioritization.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Pursuant to the coordinated 
        strategy required by subsection (a), the President shall 
        prioritize the implementation of the targeted sanctions 
        required under section 5 of the Nicaragua Investment 
        Conditionality Act of 2018 with respect to foreign persons 
        directly or indirectly obstructing the establishment of 
        conditions necessary for the realization of free, fair, and 
        transparent elections in Nicaragua.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Targets.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the 
        President shall specifically target foreign persons involved in 
        directly or indirectly obstructing the establishment of 
        conditions described in that paragraph, including--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) officials in the government of 
                President Daniel Ortega;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) family members of President Daniel 
                Ortega;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) members of the National Nicaraguan 
                Police;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) members of the Nicaraguan Armed 
                Forces;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) members of the Supreme Electoral 
                Council of Nicaragua;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) party members and elected officials 
                from the Sandinista National Liberation Front and their 
                family members;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (G) individuals or entities affiliated 
                with businesses engaged in corrupt financial 
                transactions with officials in the government of 
                President Daniel Ortega, his party, or his family; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (H) individuals identified in the report 
                required by section 8 as involved in significant acts 
                of public corruption in Nicaragua.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 6. DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A COORDINATED SANCTIONS 
              STRATEGY WITH DIPLOMATIC PARTNERS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following 
findings:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) On June 21, 2019, the Government of Canada, 
        pursuant to its Special Economic Measures Act, designated 9 
        officials of the Government of Nicaragua for the imposition of 
        sanctions in response to gross and systematic human rights 
        violations in Nicaragua.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) On May 4, 2020, the European Union imposed 
        sanctions with respect to 6 officials of the Government of 
        Nicaragua identified as responsible for serious human rights 
        violations and for the repression of civil society and 
        democratic opposition in Nicaragua.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) On October 12, 2020, the European Union 
        extended its authority to impose restrictive measures on 
        ``persons and entities responsible for serious human rights 
        violations or abuses or for the repression of civil society and 
        democratic opposition in Nicaragua, as well as persons and 
        entities whose actions, policies or activities otherwise 
        undermine democracy and the rule of law in Nicaragua, and 
        persons associated with them''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
the United States should encourage the Government of Canada, the 
European Union and governments of members countries of the European 
Union, and governments of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean 
to use targeted sanctions with respect to persons involved in human 
rights violations and the obstruction of free, fair, and transparent 
elections in Nicaragua.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Coordinating International Sanctions.--The Secretary 
of State, working through the head of the Office of Sanctions 
Coordination established by section 1(h) of the State Department Basic 
Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a(h)), and in consultation with 
the Secretary of the Treasury, shall engage in diplomatic efforts with 
governments of countries that are partners of the United States, 
including the Government of Canada, governments of countries in the 
European Union, and governments of countries in Latin America and the 
Caribbean, to impose targeted sanctions with respect to the persons 
described in section 5(b) in order to advance democratic elections in 
Nicaragua.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Briefing Requirement.--Not later than 60 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 60 days thereafter 
until December 31, 2021, the Secretary of State, in consultation with 
the Secretary of the Treasury, shall brief the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives on the implementation of this 
section.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 7. INCLUSION OF NICARAGUA IN LIST OF COUNTRIES SUBJECT TO 
              CERTAIN SANCTIONS RELATING TO CORRUPTION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 353 of title III of division FF of the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260) is amended--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in the section heading, by striking ``and 
        honduras'' and inserting ``, honduras, and nicaragua''; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by striking ``and Honduras'' each place it 
        appears and inserting ``, Honduras, and Nicaragua''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 8. CLASSIFIED REPORT ON THE INVOLVEMENT OF ORTEGA FAMILY 
              MEMBERS AND NICARAGUAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN 
              CORRUPTION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Report Required.--Not later than 60 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, acting 
through the Bureau of Intelligence and Research of the Department of 
State, and in coordination with the Director of National Intelligence, 
shall submit a classified report to the appropriate congressional 
committees on significant acts of public corruption in Nicaragua that--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) involve--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the President of Nicaragua, Daniel 
                Ortega;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) members of the family of Daniel 
                Ortega; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) senior officials of the Ortega 
                government, including--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) members of the Supreme 
                        Electoral Council, the Nicaraguan Armed Forces, 
                        and the National Nicaraguan Police; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) elected officials from the 
                        Sandinista National Liberation Front 
                        party;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) pose challenges for United States national 
        security and regional stability;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) impede the realization of free, fair, and 
        transparent elections in Nicaragua; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) infringe upon the fundamental freedoms of 
        civil society and political opponents in Nicaragua.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Appropriate Congressional Committees.--In this 
section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the 
        Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 
        Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of 
        Representatives.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 9. CLASSIFIED REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE RUSSIAN 
              FEDERATION IN NICARAGUA.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    The Secretary of State shall include in the classified 
report required by section 8 a separate section on activities of the 
Government of the Russian Federation in Nicaragua, including--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) cooperation between Russian and Nicaraguan 
        military personnel, intelligence services, security forces, and 
        private Russian security contractors;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) cooperation related to telecommunications and 
        satellite navigation;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) other political and economic cooperation; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) the threats and risks that such activities 
        pose to United States national interests and national 
        security.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 10. REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN THE INTERIOR OF 
              NICARAGUA.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that, since the June 2018 
initiation of ``Operation Clean-up'', an effort of the government of 
Daniel Ortega to dismantle barricades constructed throughout Nicaragua 
during social demonstrations in April 2018, the Ortega government has 
increased its abuse of campesinos and members of indigenous 
communities, including arbitrary detentions, torture, and sexual 
violence as a form of intimidation.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Report Required.--Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit 
to the appropriate congressional committees a report that documents the 
perpetration of gross human rights violations by the Ortega government 
against campesinos and indigenous communities in the interior of 
Nicaragua.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Elements.--The report required by subsection (b) 
shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) include a compilation of human rights 
        violations committed by the Ortega government against 
        inhabitants of the interior of Nicaragua, with a focus on such 
        violations committed since April 2018, including human rights 
        abuses and extrajudicial killings in--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the cities of Managua, Carazo, and 
                Masaya between April and June of 2018; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the municipalities of Wiwili, El Cua, 
                San Jose de Bocay, and Santa Maria de Pantasma in the 
                Department of Jinotega, Esquipulas in the Department of 
                Rivas, and Bilwi in the North Caribbean Coast 
                Autonomous Region between 2018 and 2021;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) outline efforts by the Ortega government to 
        intimidate and disrupt the activities of CENIDH and other civil 
        society organizations attempting to hold the government 
        accountable for infringing on the fundamental rights and 
        freedoms of the people of Nicaragua; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) provide recommendations on how the United 
        States, in collaboration with international partners and 
        Nicaraguan civil society, should leverage its diplomatic 
        capabilities, including sanctions, to curtail the gross human 
        rights violations perpetrated by the Ortega government and 
        better support the victims of human rights violations in the 
        interior of Nicaragua.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this 
section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
        Senate; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
        of Representatives.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 11. SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT NEWS MEDIA AND FREEDOM OF 
              INFORMATION IN NICARAGUA.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Report Required.--Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, the 
Administrator for the United States Agency for International 
Development, and the Chief Executive Officer of the United States 
Agency for Global Media, shall submit to Congress a report that 
includes--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) an evaluation of the governmental, political, 
        and technological obstacles faced by the people of Nicaragua in 
        their efforts to obtain accurate, objective, and comprehensive 
        news and information about domestic and international 
        affairs;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) a list of all TV channels, radio stations, 
        online news sites, and other media platforms operating in 
        Nicaragua that are directly or indirectly owned or beneficially 
        controlled by President Daniel Ortega, members of the Ortega 
        family, or known allies of the Ortega government; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) a list of any independent press organization 
        or any person affiliated with the independent news media that 
        has experienced intimidation, harassment, physical assault, 
        theft of property, or fatal injury by agents of the Government 
        of Nicaragua or pro-government supporters in direct relation to 
        their journalistic activities since April 2018.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall 
include--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) an assessment of the extent to which the 
        current level and type of news and related programming and 
        content provided by the Voice of America and other sources is 
        addressing the informational needs of the people of 
        Nicaragua;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) a description of existing United States 
        efforts to strengthen freedom of the press and freedom of 
        expression in Nicaragua, including recommendations to expand 
        upon those efforts; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) a strategy for strengthening independent 
        broadcasting, information distribution, and media platforms in 
        Nicaragua.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 12. AMENDMENT TO SHORT TITLE OF PUBLIC LAW 115-
              335.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 1(a) of the Nicaragua Human Rights and 
Anticorruption Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-335; 50 U.S.C. 1701 note) is 
amended to read as follows:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the 
`Nicaragua Investment Conditionality Act of 2018' or the `NICA 
Act'.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 13. DEFINITION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    In this Act, the term ``Nicaragua Investment 
Conditionality Act of 2018'' means the Public Law 115-335 (50 U.S.C. 
1701 note), as amended by section 12.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Reinforcing 
Nicaragua's Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform Act of 2021'' 
or the ``RENACER Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Sense of Congress.
Sec. 3. Review of participation of Nicaragua in Dominican Republic-
                            Central America-United States Free Trade 
                            Agreement.
Sec. 4. Restrictions on international financial institutions relating 
                            to Nicaragua.
Sec. 5. Targeted sanctions to advance democratic elections.
Sec. 6. Developing and implementing a coordinated sanctions strategy 
                            with diplomatic partners.
Sec. 7. Inclusion of Nicaragua in list of countries subject to certain 
                            sanctions relating to corruption.
Sec. 8. Classified report on the involvement of Ortega family members 
                            and Nicaraguan government officials in 
                            corruption.
Sec. 9. Classified report on the activities of the Russian Federation 
                            in Nicaragua.
Sec. 10. Imposition of sanctions under section 231 of Countering 
                            America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act 
                            with respect to Government of Nicaragua.
Sec. 11. Report on human rights abuses in Nicaragua.
Sec. 12. Supporting independent news media and freedom of information 
                            in Nicaragua.
Sec. 13. Amendment to short title of Public Law 115-335.
Sec. 14. Definition.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) ongoing efforts by the government of President Daniel 
        Ortega in Nicaragua to suppress the voice and actions of 
        political opponents through intimidation and unlawful 
        detainment, civil society, and independent news media violate 
        the fundamental freedoms and basic human rights of the people 
        of Nicaragua;
            (2) Congress unequivocally condemns the politically 
        motivated and unlawful detention of presidential candidates 
        Cristiana Chamorro, Arturo Cruz, Felix Maradiaga, and Juan 
        Sebastian Chamorro;
            (3) Congress unequivocally condemns the passage of the 
        Foreign Agents Regulation Law, the Special Cybercrimes Law, the 
        Self-Determination Law, and the Consumer Protection Law by the 
        National Assembly of Nicaragua, which represent clear attempts 
        by the Ortega government to curtail the fundamental freedoms 
        and basic human rights of the people of Nicaragua;
            (4) Congress recognizes that free, fair, and transparent 
        elections predicated on robust reform measures and the presence 
        of domestic and international observers represent the best 
        opportunity for the people of Nicaragua to restore democracy 
        and reach a peaceful solution to the political and social 
        crisis in Nicaragua;
            (5) the United States recognizes the right of the people of 
        Nicaragua to freely determine their own political future as 
        vital to ensuring the sustainable restoration of democracy in 
        their country;
            (6) the United States should align the use of diplomatic 
        engagement and all other foreign policy tools, including the 
        use of targeted sanctions, in support of efforts by democratic 
        political actors and civil society in Nicaragua to advance the 
        necessary conditions for free, fair, and transparent elections 
        in Nicaragua;
            (7) the United States, in order to maximize the 
        effectiveness of efforts described in paragraph (6), should--
                    (A) coordinate with diplomatic partners, including 
                the Government of Canada, the European Union, and 
                partners in Latin America and the Caribbean;
                    (B) advance diplomatic initiatives in consultation 
                with the Organization of American States and the United 
                Nations; and
                    (C) thoroughly investigate the assets and holdings 
                of the Nicaraguan Armed Forces in the United States and 
                consider appropriate actions to hold such forces 
                accountable for gross violations of human rights; and
            (8) pursuant to section 6(b) of the Nicaragua Investment 
        Conditionality Act of 2018, the President should waive the 
        application of restrictions under section 4 of that Act and the 
        sanctions under section 5 of that Act if the Secretary of State 
        certifies that the Government of Nicaragua is taking the steps 
        identified in section 6(a) of that Act, including taking steps 
        to ``to hold free and fair elections overseen by credible 
        domestic and international observers''.

SEC. 3. REVIEW OF PARTICIPATION OF NICARAGUA IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC-
              CENTRAL AMERICA-UNITED STATES FREE TRADE AGREEMENT.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) On November 27, 2018, the President signed Executive 
        Order 13851 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking property 
        of certain persons contributing to the situation in Nicaragua), 
        which stated that ``the situation in Nicaragua, including the 
        violent response by the Government of Nicaragua to the protests 
        that began on April 18, 2018, and the Ortega regime's 
        systematic dismantling and undermining of democratic 
        institutions and the rule of law, its use of indiscriminate 
        violence and repressive tactics against civilians, as well as 
        its corruption leading to the destabilization of Nicaragua's 
        economy, constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the 
        national security and foreign policy of the United States''.
            (2) Article 21.2 of the Dominican Republic-Central America-
        United States Free Trade Agreement approved by Congress under 
        section 101(a)(1) of the Dominican Republic-Central America-
        United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (19 
        U.S.C. 4011(a)(1)) states, ``Nothing in this Agreement shall be 
        construed . . . to preclude a Party from applying measures that 
        it considers necessary for the fulfillment of its obligations 
        with respect to the maintenance or restoration of international 
        peace or security, or the protection of its own essential 
        security interests.''.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
President should review the continued participation of Nicaragua in the 
Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement 
if the Government of Nicaragua continues to tighten its authoritarian 
rule in an attempt to subvert democratic elections in November 2021 and 
undermine democracy and human rights in Nicaragua.

SEC. 4. RESTRICTIONS ON INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS RELATING 
              TO NICARAGUA.

    Section 4 of the Nicaragua Investment Conditionality Act of 2018 is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (a), (b), and (c) as 
        subsections (b), (c), and (d), respectively;
            (2) by inserting before subsection (b), as redesignated by 
        paragraph (1), the following:
    ``(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
Secretary of the Treasury should take all possible steps, including 
through the full implementation of the exceptions set forth in 
subsection (c), to ensure that the restrictions required under 
subsection (b) do not negatively impact the basic human needs of the 
people of Nicaragua.'';
            (3) in subsection (c), as so redesignated, by striking 
        ``subsection (a)'' and inserting ``subsection (b)''; and
            (4) by striking subsection (d), as so redesignated, and 
        inserting the following:
    ``(d) Increased Oversight.--
            ``(1) In general.--The United States Executive Director at 
        each international financial institution of the World Bank 
        Group, the United States Executive Director at the Inter-
        American Development Bank, and the United States Executive 
        Director at each other international financial institution, 
        including the International Monetary Fund, shall take all 
        practicable steps--
                    ``(A) to increase scrutiny of any loan or financial 
                or technical assistance provided for a project in 
                Nicaragua; and
                    ``(B) to ensure that the loan or assistance is 
                administered through an entity with full technical, 
                administrative, and financial independence from the 
                Government of Nicaragua.
            ``(2) Mechanisms for increased scrutiny.--The United States 
        Executive Director at each international financial institution 
        described in paragraph (1) shall use the voice, vote, and 
        influence of the United States to encourage that institution to 
        increase oversight mechanisms for new and existing loans or 
        financial or technical assistance provided for a project in 
        Nicaragua.
    ``(e) Interagency Consultation.--Before implementing the 
restrictions described in subsection (b), or before exercising an 
exception under subsection (c), the Secretary of the Treasury shall 
consult with the Secretary of State and with the Administrator of the 
United States Agency for International Development to ensure that all 
loans and financial or technical assistance to Nicaragua are consistent 
with United States foreign policy objectives as defined in section 3.
    ``(f) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of the RENACER Act, and annually thereafter until the 
termination date specified in section 10, the Secretary of the 
Treasury, in coordination with the Secretary of State and the 
Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
Development, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
report on the implementation of this section, which shall include--
            ``(1) summary of any loans and financial and technical 
        assistance provided by international financial institutions for 
        projects in Nicaragua;
            ``(2) a description of the implementation of the 
        restrictions described in subsection (b);
            ``(3) an identification of the occasions in which the 
        exceptions under subsection (c) are exercised and an assessment 
        of how the loan or assistance provided with each such exception 
        may address basic human needs or promote democracy in 
        Nicaragua;
            ``(4) a description of the results of the increased 
        oversight conducted under subsection (d); and
            ``(5) a description of international efforts to address the 
        humanitarian needs of the people of Nicaragua.''.

SEC. 5. TARGETED SANCTIONS TO ADVANCE DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS.

    (a) Coordinated Strategy.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of State and the Secretary 
        of the Treasury, in consultation with the intelligence 
        community (as defined in section 3 of the National Security Act 
        of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003)), shall develop and implement a 
        coordinated strategy to align diplomatic engagement efforts 
        with the implementation of targeted sanctions in order to 
        support efforts to facilitate the necessary conditions for 
        free, fair, and transparent elections in Nicaragua.
            (2) Briefing required.--Not later than 90 days after the 
        date of the enactment of this Act, and every 90 days thereafter 
        until December 31, 2022, the Secretary of State and the 
        Secretary of the Treasury shall brief the Committee on Foreign 
        Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 
        the House of Representatives on steps to be taken by the United 
        States Government to develop and implement the coordinated 
        strategy required by paragraph (1).
    (b) Targeted Sanctions Prioritization.--
            (1) In general.--Pursuant to the coordinated strategy 
        required by subsection (a), the President shall prioritize the 
        implementation of the targeted sanctions required under section 
        5 of the Nicaragua Investment Conditionality Act of 2018.
            (2) Targets.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the 
        President--
                    (A) shall examine whether foreign persons involved 
                in directly or indirectly obstructing the establishment 
                of conditions necessary for the realization of free, 
                fair, and transparent elections in Nicaragua are 
                subject to sanctions under section 5 of the Nicaragua 
                Investment Conditionality Act of 2018; and
                    (B) should, in particular, examine whether the 
                following persons have engaged in conduct subject to 
                such sanctions:
                            (i) Officials in the government of 
                        President Daniel Ortega.
                            (ii) Family members of President Daniel 
                        Ortega.
                            (iii) High-ranking members of the National 
                        Nicaraguan Police.
                            (iv) High-ranking members of the Nicaraguan 
                        Armed Forces.
                            (v) Members of the Supreme Electoral 
                        Council of Nicaragua.
                            (vi) Officials of the Central Bank of 
                        Nicaragua.
                            (vii) Party members and elected officials 
                        from the Sandinista National Liberation Front 
                        and their family members.
                            (viii) Individuals or entities affiliated 
                        with businesses engaged in corrupt financial 
                        transactions with officials in the government 
                        of President Daniel Ortega, his party, or his 
                        family.
                            (ix) Individuals identified in the report 
                        required by section 8 as involved in 
                        significant acts of public corruption in 
                        Nicaragua.

SEC. 6. DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A COORDINATED SANCTIONS STRATEGY 
              WITH DIPLOMATIC PARTNERS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) On June 21, 2019, the Government of Canada, pursuant to 
        its Special Economic Measures Act, designated 9 officials of 
        the Government of Nicaragua for the imposition of sanctions in 
        response to gross and systematic human rights violations in 
        Nicaragua.
            (2) On May 4, 2020, the European Union imposed sanctions 
        with respect to 6 officials of the Government of Nicaragua 
        identified as responsible for serious human rights violations 
        and for the repression of civil society and democratic 
        opposition in Nicaragua.
            (3) On October 12, 2020, the European Union extended its 
        authority to impose restrictive measures on ``persons and 
        entities responsible for serious human rights violations or 
        abuses or for the repression of civil society and democratic 
        opposition in Nicaragua, as well as persons and entities whose 
        actions, policies or activities otherwise undermine democracy 
        and the rule of law in Nicaragua, and persons associated with 
        them''.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the United 
States should encourage the Government of Canada, the European Union 
and governments of members countries of the European Union, and 
governments of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to use 
targeted sanctions with respect to persons involved in human rights 
violations and the obstruction of free, fair, and transparent elections 
in Nicaragua.
    (c) Coordinating International Sanctions.--The Secretary of State, 
working through the head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination 
established by section 1(h) of the State Department Basic Authorities 
Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a(h)), and in consultation with the 
Secretary of the Treasury, shall engage in diplomatic efforts with 
governments of countries that are partners of the United States, 
including the Government of Canada, governments of countries in the 
European Union, and governments of countries in Latin America and the 
Caribbean, to impose targeted sanctions with respect to the persons 
described in section 5(b) in order to advance democratic elections in 
Nicaragua.
    (d) Briefing Requirement.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, and every 90 days thereafter until December 
31, 2022, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of 
the Treasury, shall brief the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
Representatives on the implementation of this section.

SEC. 7. INCLUSION OF NICARAGUA IN LIST OF COUNTRIES SUBJECT TO CERTAIN 
              SANCTIONS RELATING TO CORRUPTION.

    Section 353 of title III of division FF of the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260) is amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``and honduras'' 
        and inserting ``, honduras, and nicaragua''; and
            (2) by striking ``and Honduras'' each place it appears and 
        inserting ``, Honduras, and Nicaragua''.

SEC. 8. CLASSIFIED REPORT ON THE INVOLVEMENT OF ORTEGA FAMILY MEMBERS 
              AND NICARAGUAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN CORRUPTION.

    (a) Report Required.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, acting through the 
Bureau of Intelligence and Research of the Department of State, and in 
coordination with the Director of National Intelligence, shall submit a 
classified report to the appropriate congressional committees on 
significant acts of public corruption in Nicaragua that--
            (1) involve--
                    (A) the President of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega;
                    (B) members of the family of Daniel Ortega; and
                    (C) senior officials of the Ortega government, 
                including--
                            (i) members of the Supreme Electoral 
                        Council, the Nicaraguan Armed Forces, and the 
                        National Nicaraguan Police; and
                            (ii) elected officials from the Sandinista 
                        National Liberation Front party;
            (2) pose challenges for United States national security and 
        regional stability;
            (3) impede the realization of free, fair, and transparent 
        elections in Nicaragua; and
            (4) violate the fundamental freedoms of civil society and 
        political opponents in Nicaragua.
    (b) Appropriate Congressional Committees.--In this section, the 
term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Select 
        Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and
            (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Permanent 
        Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of 
        Representatives.

SEC. 9. CLASSIFIED REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION 
              IN NICARAGUA.

    (a) Report Required.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, acting through the 
Bureau of Intelligence and Research of the Department of State, and in 
coordination with the Director of National Intelligence, shall submit a 
classified report to the appropriate congressional committees on 
activities of the Government of the Russian Federation in Nicaragua, 
including--
            (1) cooperation between Russian and Nicaraguan military 
        personnel, intelligence services, security forces, and law 
        enforcement, and private Russian security contractors;
            (2) cooperation related to telecommunications and satellite 
        navigation;
            (3) other political and economic cooperation, including 
        with respect to banking, disinformation, and election 
        interference; and
            (4) the threats and risks that such activities pose to 
        United States national interests and national security.
    (b) Appropriate Congressional Committees.--In this section, the 
term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Select 
        Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and
            (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Permanent 
        Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of 
        Representatives.

SEC. 10. IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS UNDER SECTION 231 OF COUNTERING 
              AMERICA'S ADVERSARIES THROUGH SANCTIONS ACT WITH RESPECT 
              TO GOVERNMENT OF NICARAGUA.

    (a) Report Required.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, acting 
        through the Bureau of Intelligence and Research of the 
        Department of State, and in coordination with the Director of 
        National Intelligence and the Director of the Defense 
        Intelligence Agency, shall submit to the Committee on Foreign 
        Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 
        the House of Representatives a report that includes--
                    (A) a list of--
                            (i) all equipment, technology, or 
                        infrastructure with respect to the military or 
                        intelligence sector of Nicaragua purchased, on 
                        or after January 1, 2011, by the Government of 
                        Nicaragua from an entity identified by the 
                        Department of State under section 231(e) of the 
                        Countering America's Adversaries Through 
                        Sanctions Act (22 U.S.C. 9525(e)); and
                            (ii) all agreements with respect to the 
                        military or intelligence sector of Nicaragua 
                        entered into, on or after January 1, 2011, by 
                        the Government of Nicaragua with an entity 
                        described in clause (i); and
                    (B) a description of and date for each purchase and 
                agreement described in subparagraph (A).
            (2) Consideration.--The report required by paragraph (1) 
        shall be prepared after consideration of the content of the 
        report of the Defense Intelligence Agency entitled, ``Russia: 
        Defense Cooperation with Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela'' and 
        dated February 4, 2019.
            (3) Form of report.--The report required by paragraph (1) 
        shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a 
        classified annex.
    (b) Review Required.--Not later than 30 days after submitting the 
report required by subsection (a), the Secretary of State, in 
coordination with the Director of National Intelligence and the 
Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, shall--
            (1) review whether any of the purchases or agreements 
        included in the list required by subsection (a)(1)(A) that 
        occurred after August 2, 2017, qualify as significant 
        transactions described in section 231(a) of the Countering 
        America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (22 U.S.C. 
        9525(a)); and
            (2) submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
        Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
        Representatives a report on the results of the review conducted 
        under paragraph (1).
    (c) Imposition of Sanctions.--Pursuant to the review conducted 
under subsection (b) and section 231 of the Countering America's 
Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (22 U.S.C. 9525), the President shall 
impose 5 or more of the sanctions described in section 235 of that Act 
(22 U.S.C. 9529) with respect to each significant transaction 
identified pursuant to the review.

SEC. 11. REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN NICARAGUA.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that, since the June 2018 initiation 
of ``Operation Clean-up'', an effort of the government of Daniel Ortega 
to dismantle barricades constructed throughout Nicaragua during social 
demonstrations in April 2018, the Ortega government has increased its 
abuse of campesinos and members of indigenous communities, including 
arbitrary detentions, torture, and sexual violence as a form of 
intimidation.
    (b) Report Required.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the 
appropriate congressional committees a report that documents the 
perpetration of gross human rights violations by the Ortega government 
against the citizens of Nicaragua, including campesinos and indigenous 
communities in the interior of Nicaragua.
    (c) Elements.--The report required by subsection (b) shall--
            (1) include a compilation of human rights violations 
        committed by the Ortega government against the citizens of 
        Nicaragua, with a focus on such violations committed since 
        April 2018, including human rights abuses and extrajudicial 
        killings in--
                    (A) the cities of Managua, Carazo, and Masaya 
                between April and June of 2018; and
                    (B) the municipalities of Wiwili, El Cua, San Jose 
                de Bocay, and Santa Maria de Pantasma in the Department 
                of Jinotega, Esquipulas in the Department of Rivas, and 
                Bilwi in the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region 
                between 2018 and 2021;
            (2) outline efforts by the Ortega government to intimidate 
        and disrupt the activities of civil society organizations 
        attempting to hold the government accountable for infringing on 
        the fundamental rights and freedoms of the people of Nicaragua; 
        and
            (3) provide recommendations on how the United States, in 
        collaboration with international partners and Nicaraguan civil 
        society, should leverage bilateral and regional relationships 
        to curtail the gross human rights violations perpetrated by the 
        Ortega government and better support the victims of human 
        rights violations in Nicaragua.
    (d) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and
            (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
        Representatives.

SEC. 12. SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT NEWS MEDIA AND FREEDOM OF INFORMATION 
              IN NICARAGUA.

    (a) Report Required.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, the Administrator for 
the United States Agency for International Development, and the Chief 
Executive Officer of the United States Agency for Global Media, shall 
submit to Congress a report that includes--
            (1) an evaluation of the governmental, political, and 
        technological obstacles faced by the people of Nicaragua in 
        their efforts to obtain accurate, objective, and comprehensive 
        news and information about domestic and international affairs; 
        and
            (2) a list of all TV channels, radio stations, online news 
        sites, and other media platforms operating in Nicaragua that 
        are directly or indirectly owned or controlled by President 
        Daniel Ortega, members of the Ortega family, or known allies of 
        the Ortega government.
    (b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall 
include--
            (1) an assessment of the extent to which the current level 
        and type of news and related programming and content provided 
        by the Voice of America and other sources is addressing the 
        informational needs of the people of Nicaragua;
            (2) a description of existing United States efforts to 
        strengthen freedom of the press and freedom of expression in 
        Nicaragua, including recommendations to expand upon those 
        efforts; and
            (3) a strategy for strengthening independent broadcasting, 
        information distribution, and media platforms in Nicaragua.

SEC. 13. AMENDMENT TO SHORT TITLE OF PUBLIC LAW 115-335.

    Section 1(a) of the Nicaragua Human Rights and Anticorruption Act 
of 2018 (Public Law 115-335; 50 U.S.C. 1701 note) is amended to read as 
follows:
    ``(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the `Nicaragua 
Investment Conditionality Act of 2018' or the `NICA Act'.''.

SEC. 14. DEFINITION.

    In this Act, the term ``Nicaragua Investment Conditionality Act of 
2018'' means the Public Law 115-335 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note), as amended 
by section 13.
                                                        Calendar No. 86

117th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                                S. 1041

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 To advance the strategic alignment of United States diplomatic tools 
  toward the realization of free, fair, and transparent elections in 
   Nicaragua and to reaffirm the commitment of the United States to 
  protect the fundamental freedoms and human rights of the people of 
                   Nicaragua, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                             June 24, 2021

                       Reported with an amendment