117 S1881 RS: Restoring Sovereignty and Human Rights in Nicaragua Act of 2023
U.S. Senate
2024-05-07
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.Short title; table of contents(a)This Act may be cited as the Restoring Sovereignty and Human Rights in Nicaragua Act of 2023
.(b)The table of contents of this Act is as follows:Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.Sec. 2. Definitions.Sec. 3. Findings.Sec. 4. Sense of Congress.TITLE I—Reauthorization and amendment of the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act of 2018 and the Reinforcing Nicaragua’s Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform Act of 2021Sec. 101. Extension of authorities of the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act of 2018.Sec. 102. Enhancing sanctions on sectors of the Nicaraguan economy that generate revenue for the Ortega family.Sec. 103. Imposition of sanctions with respect to the Ortega administration’s abuses against the Catholic Church, political prisoners, and support for the invasion of Ukraine.Sec. 104. Coordinated diplomatic strategy to restrict investment and loans that benefit the Government of Nicaragua from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration.TITLE II—Additional economic measures to hold the Government of Nicaragua accountable for human rights abusesSec. 201. Statement of policy.Sec. 202. Review of participation of Nicaragua in the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States free trade agreement.Sec. 203. Prohibition on new United States investment in Nicaragua.Sec. 204. Termination.TITLE III—Promoting the human rights of NicaraguansSec. 301. Support for human rights and democracy programs.Sec. 302. Support for Nicaraguan human rights at the United Nations.2.In this Act:(1)Appropriate congressional committeesThe term appropriate congressional committees means—(A)the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Banking of the Senate; and(B)the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives.(2)The term United States person means—(A)an individual who is a citizen or national of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States; and(B)any corporation, partnership, or other entity organized under the laws of the United States or the laws of any jurisdiction within the United States. 3.Congress makes the following findings:(1)The 2022 Annual Report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom made the following recommendations to the United States Government:(A)Maintain Nicaragua on the special watch list of the Department of State under section 402(b)(1)(A)(iii) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6442(b)(1)(A)(iii)) for engaging in or tolerating serious violations of religious freedom.(B)Impose targeted sanctions with respect to agencies and officials of the Government of Nicaragua responsible for violence and other punitive actions against places of worship, religious leaders, and organizations by freezing the assets of and barring the entry of certain persons into the United States, citing specific violations of religious freedom.(C)Collaborate with and encourage multilateral organizations, such as the Organization of American States—(i)to monitor and investigate violations of religious freedom that occur in Nicaragua;(ii)to work to identify perpetrators of religious freedom violations in Nicaragua; and(iii)to seek the repeal of problematic laws such as the foreign agents law passed in Nicaragua in 2020.(2)The Catholic Church in Nicaragua suffered—(A)127 attacks in 2022;(B)54 attacks in 2021;(C)58 attacks in 2020;(D)76 attacks in 2019; and(E)81 attacks in 2018.(3)In a 2022 report by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Nicaragua was listed as an authoritarian regime and one of the least democratic countries in the Western Hemisphere, along with Cuba and Venezuela.(4)According to the 2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices published by the Department of State, members of civil society and student leaders involved in the April 2018 protests in Nicaragua were subjected to torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.(5)According to human rights organizations, the Ortega regime has 150 political prisoners, including prisoners in solitary confinement.(6)In 2022, the Ortega regime rejected a United States envoy, declared the head of the European Union persona non grata, and closed the Vatican embassy in Managua.(7)On February 9, 2023, the authoritarian Ortega regime— (A)expelled 222 Nicaraguan nationals who had been unjustly imprisoned for exercising their fundamental rights; and (B)stripped those nationals of Nicaraguan citizenship.(8)The invasion of Ukraine by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin poses a significant threat to global peace and stability in the Western Hemisphere.(9)The authoritarian regime of President Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua is providing diplomatic support to the Russian Federation and serving as an amplifier and repeater of Russian propaganda on a global scale.(10)The actions of the Government of Nicaragua are impeding development of a global consensus to reject and respond to crimes against humanity conducted by President Putin.(11)The Ortega regime has deepened the relationship between the Government of Nicaragua and the Government of the Russian Federation and is establishing diplomatic relations with the Government of the People Republic of China. 4.It is the sense of Congress that—(1)the Secretary of State, working through the head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination, and in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, should engage in diplomatic efforts with 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 subject to sanctions authorized by the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act of 2018 and the Reinforcing Nicaragua’s Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform Act of 2021 in order to hold the authoritarian regime of President Daniel Ortega accountable for crimes against the Catholic Church, the clergy, and the people of Nicaragua;(2)the United States Government should continue—(A)to raise concerns about human rights and democracy in Nicaragua, and call attention to religious and opposition leaders and civil society, media, and faith-based organizations silenced by the Ortega regime; and(B)to enforce Executive Order 13851 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking property of certain persons contributing to the situation in Nicaragua), and expand existing sanctions to other sectors of the economy of Nicaragua, such as the meat sector; and(3)the international community, including the Holy See, the International Red Cross, and the United Nations should coordinate efforts—(A)to improve the conditions of all political prisoners in Nicaragua;(B)to document all gross violations of internationally recognized human rights in Nicaragua; and(C)to call for the end of political persecution against members of religious organizations, including the Catholic Church.<enum>I</enum><header>Reauthorization and amendment of the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act of 2018 and the Reinforcing Nicaragua’s Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform Act of 2021</header><section id="id60a67962a68446f48aaad1839844b397"><enum>101.</enum><header>Extension of authorities of the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act of 2018</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 10 of the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act of 2018 (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/115/335">Public Law 115–335</external-xref>; <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/50/1701">50 U.S.C. 1701</external-xref> note) is amended by striking <quote>2023</quote> and inserting <quote>2028</quote>.</text></section><section id="ide1574468895d463eb9c1bc10262d7928"><enum>102.</enum><header>Enhancing sanctions on sectors of the Nicaraguan economy that generate revenue for the Ortega family</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 5(a) of the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act of 2018 (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/115/335">Public Law 115–335</external-xref>; <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/50/1701">50 U.S.C. 1701</external-xref> note) is amended— </text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id029aba82832345e2b8f5ccf4e1763f64"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in paragraph (3)(B), by striking <quote>or</quote>;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idc38229c52bb448bfb5d2cee22d5df72b"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and inserting <quote>; or</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id9be7adb1bbe04819a02f1b26311d06d6"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id521d6c3a84214de696fc8ecdd248de23" changed="deleted" reported-display-style="strikethrough" committee-id="SSFR00"><paragraph id="id7185cbb8dc724cf9ab4ce165de5d5325"><enum>(5)</enum><text>to operate or have operated in the gold, cattle, or coffee sectors of the Nicaraguan economy or in any other sector of the Nicaraguan economy identified by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, for purposes of this paragraph.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></section><section id="id7b4cce64c6b94a6693c4223653291a68"><enum>103.</enum><header>Imposition of sanctions with respect to the Ortega administration’s abuses against the Catholic Church, political prisoners, and support for the invasion of Ukraine</header><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3867898bdc87446aa08c60877af0c36a"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Expansion of activities triggering targeted sanctions</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 5(b) of the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act of 2018 (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/115/335">Public Law 115–335</external-xref>; <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/50/1701">50 U.S.C. 1701</external-xref> note) is amended by adding at the end the following: </text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idc0ead10e26364f97922bda817c75d78d" changed="deleted" reported-display-style="strikethrough" committee-id="SSFR00"><paragraph id="idf0d37e4c078448519448e942bd82b143"><enum>(5)</enum><text>The arrest or prosecution of a person, including a person who is a member of or an officer of the Catholic Church, because of the legitimate exercise by such person of the freedom of religion.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="ida9ef6b687c9b4e3f8e192e3adfb9ee29"><enum>(6)</enum><text>The conviction and sentencing of a person who is a member of an opposition party or independent civil society organization under politically motivated charges.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id9b09e5c15f2942f485f91dda3b6064a3"><enum>(7)</enum><text>Gross violations of the internationally recognized human rights of prisoners.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id35635cb50ae54e5db6c6e0cebf897f33"><enum>(8)</enum><text>Acts of providing significant goods, services, or technology to or expressing support for the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation that began on February 24, 2022.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="id1d96a5591a264920aa628f218134b171"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Modification of targeted sanctions prioritization</header><text>Section 5(b)(2)(B) of the Reinforcing Nicaragua’s Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform Act of 2021 (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/117/54">Public Law 117–54</external-xref>; <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/50/1701">50 U.S.C. 1701</external-xref> note) is amended—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3c23429ade2245898777c8fdc1af565a"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by redesignating clauses (viii) and (ix) as clauses (ix) and (x), respectively; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id45c131b0926943739f820f85869b4f38"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting after clause (vii) the following new clause (viii):</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id5671C92DD2FC4070820F2E7289075773" changed="deleted" reported-display-style="strikethrough" committee-id="SSFR00"><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idff8c5b44528741aab2ac2e2417167a46"><enum>(viii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Officials of the Instituto de Previsión Social Militar (IPSM), commonly known as the Military Institute of Social Security of Nicaragua.</text></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id4411ff572eb340c0a16259ea9393a1b7"><enum>104.</enum><header>Coordinated diplomatic strategy to restrict investment and loans that benefit the Government of Nicaragua from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 4 of the Nicaragua Investment Conditionality Act of 2018 (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/115/335">Public Law 115–335</external-xref>; <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/50/1701">50 U.S.C. 1701</external-xref> note) is amended—</text><paragraph id="idf977bcb4773f4577b3900282dce0fd9d"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (g);</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id16fe652222164b43b056722ba11eb2ab"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting after subsection (e) the following new subsection (f):</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id1b4c468f7bb745bc814ff45f60de1344" changed="deleted" reported-display-style="strikethrough" committee-id="SSFR00"><subsection id="idb2d75573266540698e083773bac24af2"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Diplomatic strategy To restrict investment in Nicaragua at the Central American Bank for Economic Integration</header><text>The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall engage in diplomatic efforts with governments of countries that are partners of the United States and members of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (referred to in this section as <quote>CABEI</quote>), including the governments of Mexico, Taiwan, Argentina, Colombia, Spain, and the Republic of Korea—</text><paragraph id="id0a1a13c33cff4bc9b4324519aad8cb7d"><enum>(1)</enum><text>to oppose the extension by CABEI of any loan or financial or technical assistance to the Government of Nicaragua for any project in Nicaragua;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id3740e469050f467ab9214180fa6ea77f"><enum>(2)</enum><text>to increase the scrutiny of any loan or financial or technical assistance provided by CABEI to any project in Nicaragua; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id74776e0477cb45baacb03cb5ba1e39c4"><enum>(3)</enum><text>to ensure that any loan or financial or technical assistance provided by CABEI to a project in Nicaragua is administered through an entity with full technical, administrative, and financial independence from the Government of Nicaragua.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="idd5a90db27cef4384b56848a67adbfe42"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in subsection (g), as so redesignated—</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id065568fed8f746ae827b29a6b22376bb"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in paragraph (4), by striking <quote>; and</quote> and inserting a semicolon;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id9c6caf22460f4fdb8abbf54cbce67a7b"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (6); and </text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id9152d2a32bc14ce882686df56ca8b94e"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting after paragraph (4) the following new paragraph (5):</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idf136b31f9ce04d408c0e49d4f208ac95" changed="deleted" reported-display-style="strikethrough" committee-id="SSFR00"><paragraph id="id32d02c37aaae41a6a3404e9a418ea87b"><enum>(5)</enum><text>a description of the results of the diplomatic strategy mandated by subsection (f); and</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph></section><enum>II</enum><header>Additional economic measures to hold the Government of Nicaragua accountable for human rights abuses</header><section id="idf5147c49d1df4906a6d9afae150ab7ad"><enum>201.</enum><header>Statement of policy</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">It is the policy of the United States to seek a resolution to the political crisis in Nicaragua that includes—</text><paragraph id="id420653042d6f4617a8c223f1929ff606"><enum>(1)</enum><text>a commitment by the Government of Nicaragua to hold free and fair elections that meet democratic standards and permit credible international electoral observation to replace the Ortega administration;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idbee6765b40dc45d4baa95668797420ff"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the cessation of the violence perpetrated against civilians by the National Police of Nicaragua and by armed groups supported by the Government of Nicaragua; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idfd023b27857a4b59a4e2321430a13419"><enum>(3)</enum><text>independent investigations into the killings of protesters in Nicaragua.</text></paragraph></section><section id="id1a5042e3c3a24fcd95337940fc8c499e"><enum>202.</enum><header>Review of participation of Nicaragua in the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States free trade agreement</header><subsection id="id2f46b85194b446e7a4ffb412090d1071"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Report required</header><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idccf2f27769ed4e2f98a5fa53567dfdc2"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the United States Trade Representative, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the participation of Nicaragua in CAFTA–DR, which includes—</text><subparagraph id="idc6e7d79e29ca4107931f5ea548b8bae9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>an assessment of the benefits that the Ortega regime receives from the participation of Nicaragua in CAFTA–DR, including profits earned by Nicaraguan State-owned entities;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id04e98c87368a4a7d8621bbc30a1b053c"><enum>(B)</enum><text>a description of the violations of commitments made by Nicaragua under CAFTA–DR; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idfd5de5bcc32245179f93d90ea336efa6"><enum>(C)</enum><text>an assessment of whether Nicaragua qualifies as a nonmarket economy for the purposes of the Trade Act of 1974 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/19/2101">19 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.</external-xref>). </text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id05d3fde5b93648f9aff28c540d0a3e1b"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Form</header><text>The report required by paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id9a3aa702703d4f68b7b9637c076f4ec2"><enum>(b)</enum><header>CAFTA–DR defined</header><text>In this section, the term <term>CAFTA–DR</term> means the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id698ae2b0c5f64d8494d07d7aa97e651a"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">entered into on August 5, 2004, with the Governments of Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, and submitted to Congress on June 23, 2005; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id177f7f4922994a04a73dfa8fc1291441"><enum>(2)</enum><text>approved by Congress under section 101(a)(1) of the Dominican Republic-Central American-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/19/4011">19 U.S.C. 4011(a)(1)</external-xref>). </text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="idf81049dc72004086b024b33b9341090d"><enum>203.</enum><header>Prohibition on new United States investment in Nicaragua</header><subsection id="idd3fd46c4e8974328bd6453c64c6ea206"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Prohibition</header><text>After the date of the enactment of this Act, a United States person, wherever located, may not make any investment in any sector of the economy of Nicaragua.</text></subsection><subsection id="id54decab6d5f6475da4655adde17ea100"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Implementation</header><text>The President may exercise all authorities provided to the President under sections 203 and 205 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) to carry out this section.</text></subsection><subsection id="id095f9af63c6448e1a045c2292324f837"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Penalties</header><text>A person that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of this section or any regulation, license, or order issued to carry out this section shall be subject to the penalties set forth in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/50/1705">50 U.S.C. 1705</external-xref>) to the same extent as a person that commits an unlawful act described in subsection (a) of that section.</text></subsection><subsection id="id2290432dba08497bbce6aa436710c680"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Exceptions</header><paragraph id="id3dc89b92518a49d08423fe5db564721a"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Exception for intelligence activities</header><text>This section shall not apply with respect to activities subject to the reporting requirements under title V of the National Security Act of 1947 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/50/3091">50 U.S.C. 3091 et seq.</external-xref>) or any authorized intelligence activities of the United States.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id28e56d9b50fa4908b1617acec6bac4da"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Humanitarian exception</header><text>The prohibition under subsection (a) does not apply with respect to any person for conducting or facilitating a transaction for the sale of agricultural commodities, food, medicine, or medical devices to Nicaragua, or for the provision of humanitarian assistance to the people of Nicaragua.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id8e3590e384d14ceeb459b844272e259b"><enum>(e)</enum><header>National security waiver</header><text>The President may waive the application of the prohibition under subsection (a) with respect to a person if the President—</text><paragraph id="idc2736d18ceee4392a0550a95f9cc4ba2"><enum>(1)</enum><text>determines that such a waiver is in the national security interests of the United States; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id9bcb0ec5d047426fb835791c6c3e3b5a"><enum>(2)</enum><text>submits to the appropriate congressional committees a notification of the waiver and the reasons for the waiver.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id478ea0228a33495096d935aa3498a4d5"><enum>204.</enum><header>Termination</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The provisions of this title shall cease to have effect upon certification by the President to the appropriate congressional committees that a resolution to the political crisis in Nicaragua as described in section 201 has been reached.</text></section><enum>III</enum><header>Promoting the human rights of Nicaraguans</header><section id="idbf48b771c5a24c8e834a839b44d36733"><enum>301.</enum><header>Support for human rights and democracy programs</header><subsection id="idbca35841191f4465abc797b90e8d62d5"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Grants</header><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3da676d841844f03a82daea7c81cd777"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The President may provide grants to private, nonprofit organizations to support programs that promote human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Nicaragua, including programs that document human rights abuses committed by the Ortega regime since April 2018. </text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3a7bbf919538474c9482acf8230369d5"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Administration of programs</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any program that receives a grant under paragraph (1) shall be administered in consultation with members of the Nicaraguan opposition, including individuals in exile in Costa Rica and the United States.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idfdb9b2d6bbcc4260a7dc78b1e290cedf"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Funding limitation</header><text>Any entity owned, controlled, or otherwise affiliated with the Ortega regime is not eligible to receive a grant under this section.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id6cfb0c97b2e7442383e50dce1bf76d4b"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter through fiscal year 2028, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the heads of other appropriate Federal agencies, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on actions taken pursuant to this section.</text></subsection></section><section id="idc4e8f01307d342818b09370a4c6c5003"><enum>302.</enum><header>Support for Nicaraguan human rights at the United Nations</header><subsection id="id378027c4a0604b0cae6ca7ee43156dc5"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Support To extend mandate of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua</header><text>The President shall direct the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations to use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States in the United Nations Human Rights Council and the United Nations General Assembly—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="iddcd4b1b60c294beaba6ce51e40d582dd"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">to seek to extend the mandate of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua under Human Rights Council Resolution 49/3 (2022) until a peaceful solution to the current political crisis in Nicaragua is reached, including—</text><subparagraph id="id6e98c41e0033463b81d35e9982e292a8"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a commitment to hold elections that meet democratic standards and permit credible international electoral observation;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id9db7c5b07cc94415a20d6b1ecdd28d7c"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the cessation of the violence perpetrated against civilians by the National Police of Nicaragua and by armed groups supported by the Government of Nicaragua; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id9cda72934ad94bbf996902e39e520e70"><enum>(C)</enum><text>independent investigations into the killings of protesters;</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idea4f26971d764e71a74c448a2adc8a94"><enum>(2)</enum><text>to encourage international support to empower the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua to fulfil its mission to conduct thorough and independent investigations into all alleged human rights violations and abuses committed in Nicaragua since April 2018; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id742d552800ec44f1810e9fe0b0782a2d"><enum>(3)</enum><text>to provide investigative and technical assistance to the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua as requested and as permitted under United Nations rules and regulations and United States law.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idad485d7d130345efa6014b6b7ee1aef8"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Support for further action</header><text>The President may direct the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations to use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States to urge the United Nations to provide greater action with respect to human rights violations in Nicaragua by—</text><paragraph id="idfe89ca04b13a4dcf9e0bb0a9fdaa8db7"><enum>(1)</enum><text>urging the United Nations General Assembly to consider a resolution, consistent with prior United Nations resolutions, condemning the exile of political prisoners and attacks on religious freedom by the Ortega regime; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id47a0f6ba94d14eba9dcaa6b51709042e"><enum>(2)</enum><text>assisting efforts by the relevant United Nations Special Envoys and Special Rapporteurs to promote respect for human rights and encourage dialogue towards a peaceful and democratic transfer of power in Nicaragua.</text></paragraph></subsection></section>1.Short title; table of contents(a)This Act may be cited as the Restoring Sovereignty and Human Rights in Nicaragua Act of 2024
.(b)The table of contents of this Act is as follows:Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.Sec. 2. Definitions.Sec. 3. Sense of Congress.TITLE I—Reauthorization and amendment of the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act of 2018 and the Reinforcing Nicaragua’s Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform Act of 2021Sec. 101. Extension of authorities of the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act of 2018.Sec. 102. Enhancing sanctions on sectors of the Nicaraguan economy that generate revenue for the Ortega family.Sec. 103. Expansion of targeted sanctions with respect to the Ortega regime.Sec. 104. Coordinated diplomatic strategy to restrict investment and loans that benefit the Government of Nicaragua from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration.TITLE II—Additional economic measures to hold the Government of Nicaragua accountable for human rights abusesSec. 201. Statement of policy.Sec. 202. Review of participation of Nicaragua in the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement.Sec. 203. Termination.TITLE III—Promoting the human rights of NicaraguansSec. 301. Support for human rights and democracy programs.Sec. 302. Support for Nicaraguan human rights at the United Nations.2.In this Act:(1)Appropriate congressional committeesThe term appropriate congressional committees means—(A)the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Banking of the Senate; and(B)the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives.(2)The term human rights means internationally recognized human rights.(3)The term United States person means—(A)an individual who is a citizen or national of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States; and(B)any corporation, partnership, or other entity organized under the laws of the United States or the laws of any jurisdiction within the United States.3.It is the sense of Congress that—(1)the Secretary of State, working through the head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination, and in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, should engage in diplomatic efforts with 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 subject to sanctions authorized by the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act of 2018 ( 50 U.S.C. 1701 note; Public Law 115–335) and the Reinforcing Nicaragua’s Adherence To Conditions For Electoral Reform Act Of 2021 (Public Law 117–54), in order to hold the authoritarian regime of President Daniel Ortega accountable for crimes and human rights abuses perpetrated against the people of Nicaragua and democratic political actors, civil society organizations, religious institutions, media, and academic institutions in Nicaragua;(2)the United States Government should continue—(A)to raise concerns about human rights and democracy in Nicaragua and call attention to the efforts by the Ortega regime to silence the people of Nicaragua and democratic political actors, civil society organizations, religious institutions, media, and academic institutions in Nicaragua; and(B)to enforce Executive Order 13851 (50 U.S.C. 1702 note; relating to blocking of certain persons contributing to the situation in Nicaragua); and(3)the international community, including the Holy See, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the United Nations should coordinate efforts—(A)to improve the detention conditions of all political prisoners in Nicaragua; and(B)to call for the end of political persecution of the people of Nicaragua and democratic political actors, civil society organizations, religious institutions, media, and academic institutions in Nicaragua.<enum>I</enum><header>Reauthorization and amendment of the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act of 2018 and the Reinforcing Nicaragua’s Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform Act of 2021</header><section id="idc37b4d498185463cb57f573945c3789d"><enum>101.</enum><header>Extension of authorities of the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act of 2018</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 10 of the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act of 2018 ( <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/50/1701">50 U.S.C. 1701</external-xref> note; <external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/115/335">Public Law 115–335</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>2023</quote> and inserting <quote>2030</quote>.</text></section><section id="idb046a39dca5348cc9c83cb92eaf3a9c7"><enum>102.</enum><header>Enhancing sanctions on sectors of the Nicaraguan economy that generate revenue for the Ortega family</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 5(a) of the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act of 2018 ( <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/50/1701">50 U.S.C. 1701</external-xref> note; <external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/115/335">Public Law 115–335</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="idedadd91badbf44edb9f6d2b4136597c1"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph (2), by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively, and moving such clauses 2 ems to the right;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id0ce6a008ff3a4e9d8bbfe0790f543f7a"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph (3), by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively, and moving such clauses 2 ems to the right;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id9631614487fb44a9897e2cf291003b43"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (4) as subparagraphs (A) through (D), respectively, and moving such subparagraphs 2 ems to the right;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id154cda817afa4e3e94df31ea7093b034"><enum>(4)</enum><text>by amending the matter preceding subparagraph (A), as so redesignated, to read as follows:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idd2b81d3770e5460d9332f7aaf390f048" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="SSFR00"><subsection id="id02aa631c00ed4c05934b8adf3685682b"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The President—</text><paragraph id="id3773caafa4444d47976557007a12e8de"><enum>(1)</enum><text>shall impose the sanctions described in subsection (c) with respect to any foreign person, including any current or former official of the Government of Nicaragua or any person acting on behalf of that Government, that the President determines—</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="id83a433c2044d42189f24dc7e1c21b0f4"><enum>(5)</enum><text>in paragraph (1)(D), as so redesignated, by striking the period at the end and inserting <quote>; and</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idffb1dd483f2c403db532b1c005c67dbc"><enum>(6)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idfb52f357876042f4b07af75e93840d01" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="SSFR00"><paragraph id="id18522dbb5e644d62a31af94e5d11e848"><enum>(2)</enum><text>may impose the sanctions described in subsection (c) with respect to any foreign person that the President determines to operate or have operated in the gold sectors of the Nicaraguan economy or in any other sector of the Nicaraguan economy identified by the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, for the purposes of this paragraph.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></section><section id="id146051eb63d14179b5685affa163bf55"><enum>103.</enum><header>Expansion of targeted sanctions with respect to the Ortega regime</header><subsection id="id858ba749504e4b9aabd6113f8a140baa"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Expansion of activities triggering targeted sanctions</header><text>Section 5(b) of the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act of 2018 ( <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/50/1701">50 U.S.C. 1701</external-xref> note; <external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/115/335">Public Law 115–335</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="id8c63f6b318af4946b1e60bc231e3206b"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by striking <quote>against persons associated with the protests in Nicaragua that began on April 18, 2018</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idd0b00395514d4195a02bbbd275928e4f" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id454a05992f9e491fb3ccacecd86fcaa1" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="SSFR00"><paragraph id="idf78be562ef1643148a10bf369ef68bb6"><enum>(5)</enum><text>The arrest or prosecution of a person, including a person who is a member of or an officer of the Catholic Church, because of the legitimate exercise by such person of the freedom of religion.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id2935200ab59e4807b4a75e637ea6c8f8"><enum>(6)</enum><text>The conviction and sentencing of a person who is a democratic political actor or a member of an independent civil society organization for politically motivated charges.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id9a9aefe693654b158c297fd69c8eb17c"><enum>(7)</enum><text>The provision of significant goods, services, or technology to support the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation that began on February 24, 2022.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id31825fd0a9ee46ff890743c7fb3d6def"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Modification of targeted sanctions prioritization</header><text>Section 5(b)(2)(B) of the Reinforcing Nicaragua’s Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform Act of 2021 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/50/1701">50 U.S.C. 1701</external-xref> note; <external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/117/54">Public Law 117–54</external-xref>) is amended by inserting after clause (ix) the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id39ce9eccf1d34a80814a010713d86f7c" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="SSFR00"><clause id="id8213e70bd35248d1872cb1a1128edb0b"><enum>(x)</enum><text>Officials of the Instituto de Prevision Social Militar (IPSM), commonly known as the Military Institute of Social Security of Nicaragua.</text></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="id8986bcab8a2d49f6953e807bbaa361aa"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Reporting requirement</header><text>Not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for a period of 3 years, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall 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 implementation of section 5 of the Reinforcing Nicaragua’s Adherence to the Conditions for Electoral Reform Act of 2021 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/50/1701">50 U.S.C. 1701</external-xref> note; <external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/117/54">Public Law 117–54</external-xref>), which shall include—</text><paragraph id="id25ff266f9ac449189bfbfae2a338cf89"><enum>(1)</enum><text>an update on the status of efforts to implement a coordinated strategy on the use of targeted sanctions under section 5(a)(1) of such Act;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idc99d7faa4a974dd7904baa6bc645cad9"><enum>(2)</enum><text>a detailed description of concrete steps that have been taken under section 5(b)(1) of such Act to prioritize the implementation of the targeted sanctions required under section 5 of the Nicaragua Investment Conditionality Act of 2018 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/50/1701">50 U.S.C. 1701</external-xref> note; <external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/115/335">Public Law 115–335</external-xref>); and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idaae8e48600c54f999a983a8e5d073573"><enum>(3)</enum><text>a detailed description of the results of the review of sanctionable targets required under section 5(b)(2) of the Reinforcing Nicaragua’s Adherence to the Conditions for Electoral Reform Act of 2021 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/50/1701">50 U.S.C. 1701</external-xref> note; <external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/117/54">Public Law 117–54</external-xref>).</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="idcedec9a130c0415cb92a9869ef0da1cf"><enum>104.</enum><header>Coordinated diplomatic strategy to restrict investment and loans that benefit the Government of Nicaragua from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 4 of the Nicaragua Investment Conditionality Act of 2018 (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/115/335">Public Law 115–335</external-xref>; <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/50/1701">50 U.S.C. 1701</external-xref> note) is amended—</text><paragraph id="id4bef7c846e6947cbb3b2ea9a73508c28"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (c), by inserting <quote>and paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (f)</quote> after <quote>subsection (b)</quote>;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id4422fcd6902e49b6909c154a5278d548"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (g);</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idc414616de1cc4548ad93ada13f562f5d"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by inserting after subsection (e) the following new subsection (f):</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id2f6bef4147224c309f753261b78721d5" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="SSFR00"><subsection id="id86b79bf8b48b47e1958df13b861947f3"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Diplomatic strategy to restrict investment in Nicaragua at the Central American Bank for Economic Integration</header><text>The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall engage in diplomatic efforts with governments of countries that are partners of the United States and members of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (referred to in this section as <quote>CABEI</quote>)—</text><paragraph id="id230c4e11333b4464be2e01443ebfbd90"><enum>(1)</enum><text>to oppose the extension by CABEI of any loan or financial or technical assistance to the Government of Nicaragua for any project in Nicaragua;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id6493ab189fc3417db2a7c1d93fdd41cf"><enum>(2)</enum><text>to increase the scrutiny of any loan or financial or technical assistance provided by CABEI to any project in Nicaragua; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idab49c6ad10b64087914b80572dcbd1b5"><enum>(3)</enum><text>to ensure that any loan or financial or technical assistance provided by CABEI to a project in Nicaragua is administered through an entity with full technical, administrative, and financial independence from the Government of Nicaragua.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="id33036baabb1740de866dd481aa5830ee"><enum>(4)</enum><text>in subsection (g), as so redesignated—</text><subparagraph id="idf9fcae88e8054ed8a3da28bffd4d22c5"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in paragraph (4), by striking <quote>; and</quote> and inserting a semicolon;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id6cb0d4d61a9542fa81efef7f263f2793"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (6); and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id8c447706e2e044c5b365c1d9c46a7c30"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by inserting after paragraph (4) the following new paragraph (5):</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id13fa769cf8274ab49981069e5bbcd710" changed="added" reported-display-style="italic" committee-id="SSFR00"><paragraph id="id77ae9c17580d4078a4532c93cc3b00b1"><enum>(5)</enum><text>a description of the results of the diplomatic strategy mandated by subsection (f); and</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph></section><enum>II</enum><header>Additional economic measures to hold the Government of Nicaragua accountable for human rights abuses</header><section id="id0ae840f4467d4bd7b4a88e1fc02a6c3c"><enum>201.</enum><header>Statement of policy</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">It is the policy of the United States—</text><paragraph id="id19c0864fac2b4d67b697391a971c48f1"><enum>(1)</enum><text>to seek a resolution to the political crisis in Nicaragua that includes—</text><subparagraph id="id499aa6ac375a42a2b31c5799c5d308a1"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a commitment by the Government of Nicaragua to hold competitive, free, and fair elections that meet democratic standards and permit credible international electoral observation;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id4fd18ec93d574ffabf3072f4f81177bc"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the cessation of the violence perpetrated against civilians by the National Police of Nicaragua and by armed groups supported by the Government of Nicaragua; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id1d134878fef146dd94137c9656a7002b"><enum>(C)</enum><text>independent investigations into the killings of protesters in Nicaragua; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id39b6432f6602492ab6462ea02227583f"><enum>(2)</enum><text>to support diplomatic engagement in order to advance a negotiated and peaceful solution to the political crisis in Nicaragua.</text></paragraph></section><section id="idcadc4199951543da87530d8a9e27904f"><enum>202.</enum><header>Review of participation of Nicaragua in the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement</header><subsection id="idbf5d56c24ba84cce8c21316a065af5d9"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Report required</header><paragraph id="idad987ecde56647e7a719095dc833f8bc"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the United States Trade Representative, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the participation of Nicaragua in CAFTA-DR, which includes—</text><subparagraph id="id1aeb517fb5b94b4b8f8c9aaee5623ceb"><enum>(A)</enum><text>an assessment of the benefits that the Ortega regime receives from the participation of Nicaragua in CAFTA-DR, including profits earned by Nicaraguan state-owned entities;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idca73176b306c484395e48d936b1e13e6"><enum>(B)</enum><text>a description of the violations of commitments made by Nicaragua under CAFTA-DR; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id47ffa185ccd34806b6b53246e6e6c573"><enum>(C)</enum><text>an assessment of whether Nicaragua qualifies as a nonmarket economy for the purposes of the Trade Act of 1974 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/19/2101">19 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.</external-xref>).</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id451571d0a08b4a849619fea6b1b6422f"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Form</header><text>The report required by paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id1649ef1753664a70b443dd0a3fc05cb4"><enum>(b)</enum><header>CAFTA-DR defined</header><text>In this section, the term <term>CAFTA-DR</term> means the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement—</text><paragraph id="id4d502252b1a3429884a5f0c12b4c3aca"><enum>(1)</enum><text>entered into on August 5, 2004, with the Governments of Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, and submitted to Congress on June 23, 2005; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id6e50a5f882d8421d9fbe6f2ad6161665"><enum>(2)</enum><text>approved by Congress under section 101(a)(1) of the Dominican Republic-Central American-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/19/4011">19 U.S.C. 4011(a)(1)</external-xref>).</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="iddba693f23218407cb2066df74054a488"><enum>203.</enum><header>Termination</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The provisions of this title, and any sanctions issued in accordance with the authorities of the Nicaragua Investment Conditionality Act of 2018 (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/115/335">Public Law 115–335</external-xref>; <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/50/1701">50 U.S.C. 1701</external-xref> note) or the Reinforcing Nicaragua’s Adherence to the Conditions for Electoral Reform Act of 2021 (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/117/54">Public Law 117–54</external-xref>), shall cease to have effect upon certification by the President to the appropriate congressional committees that a resolution to the political crisis in Nicaragua as described in section 201 has been reached.</text></section><enum>III</enum><header>Promoting the human rights of Nicaraguans</header><section id="id9fd4b93d9d8143bdaa81a93ae396d96f"><enum>301.</enum><header>Support for human rights and democracy programs</header><subsection id="id8fa451fc91b44ecb9711e4381382da7a"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Grants</header><paragraph id="ida1c7d49cae904524805b2ae2491a44dd"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary of State and Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development may provide grants to private, nonprofit organizations to support programs that promote human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Nicaragua, including programs that document human rights abuses committed by the Ortega regime since April 2018.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idfbf9f92f965a400f9cf11545a71accfa"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Funding limitation</header><text>Any entity owned, controlled, or otherwise affiliated with the Ortega regime is not eligible to receive a grant under this section.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id4d689b00f39a43029bbf9177d707544d"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter through fiscal year 2028, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the heads of other appropriate Federal agencies, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on actions taken pursuant to this section.</text></subsection><subsection id="idf8bdc34be3cb456ea5e1abe523f88693"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Sense of Congress</header><text>It is the sense of Congress that before providing any grant under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development should consult with members of the Nicaraguan diaspora, including Nicaraguan individuals in exile in Costa Rica and the United States.</text></subsection></section><section id="ide04eb91d836a4edb9ccce07c5bac9be6"><enum>302.</enum><header>Support for Nicaraguan human rights at the United Nations</header><subsection id="id8c1797e5831744d2bb81fd08903df614"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Support to extend mandate of the group of human rights experts on Nicaragua</header><text>The President shall direct the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations to use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States in the United Nations Human Rights Council and the United Nations General Assembly—</text><paragraph id="id69b9a5af454d47259fdfea79216ab8db"><enum>(1)</enum><text>to seek to extend the mandate of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua under Human Rights Council Resolution 49/3 (2022) until a peaceful solution to the current political crisis in Nicaragua is reached, including—</text><subparagraph id="id709a60e9aefb48e89b9c9c9ccbf2e5ac"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a commitment to hold elections that meet democratic standards and permit credible international electoral observation;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idb6a0983b20134efdb4e481ec67f94ab8"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the cessation of the violence perpetrated against civilians by the National Police of Nicaragua and by armed groups supported by the Government of Nicaragua;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idc0a75e722df045c28a87166056001abd"><enum>(C)</enum><text>independent investigations into the killings of protesters; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id836e854b165741e686390f03c387d2e8"><enum>(D)</enum><text>the restoration of Nicaraguan citizenship and restitution of political and civil rights for all Nicaraguan nationals unjustly stripped of their nationality, including the 222 Nicaraguan nationals arbitrarily imprisoned and expelled to the United States on February 9, 2023, and the 94 additional Nicaraguan dissidents stripped of their nationality on February 15, 2023;</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id1c01f35818514fee80b6ef91a314fcd3"><enum>(2)</enum><text>to encourage international support to empower the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua to fulfil its mission to conduct thorough and independent investigations into all alleged human rights violations and abuses committed in Nicaragua since April 2018, including alleged crimes against humanity; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idf0889d0d8bf041bb967ba02e3e9371f3"><enum>(3)</enum><text>to provide investigative and technical assistance to the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua as requested and as permitted under United Nations rules and regulations and United States law.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id39e268b1c0e4445393eae1c057918f84"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Support for further action</header><text>The President may direct the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations to use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States to urge the United Nations to provide greater action with respect to human rights violations in Nicaragua by—</text><paragraph id="id3bd802d59c66468ebd1258e59baf4216"><enum>(1)</enum><text>urging the United Nations General Assembly to consider a resolution, consistent with prior United Nations resolutions, condemning the exile of political prisoners and attacks on religious freedom by the Ortega regime; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id6684a826c8d6415fb9d50aa76513d715"><enum>(2)</enum><text>assisting efforts by the relevant United Nations Special Envoys and Special Rapporteurs to promote respect for human rights and encourage negotiations that lead to free, fair, and democratic elections in Nicaragua. </text></paragraph></subsection></section>May 7, 2024Reported with an amendment