[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 193 (Wednesday, November 3, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H6147-H6151]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REINFORCING NICARAGUA'S ADHERENCE TO CONDITIONS FOR ELECTORAL REFORM
ACT OF 2021
Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (S. 1064) 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.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 1064
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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. Report on certain purchases by and agreements entered into by
Government of Nicaragua relating to military or
intelligence sector 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
[[Page H6148]]
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.
[[Page H6149]]
(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. REPORT ON CERTAIN PURCHASES BY AND AGREEMENTS
ENTERED INTO BY GOVERNMENT OF NICARAGUA
RELATING TO MILITARY OR INTELLIGENCE SECTOR OF
NICARAGUA.
(a) 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--
(1) a list of--
(A) 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
(B) 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 subparagraph (A); and
(2) a description of and date for each purchase and
agreement described in paragraph (1).
(b) Consideration.--The report required by subsection (a)
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.
(c) Form of Report.--The report required by subsection (a)
shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a
classified annex.
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.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Deutch) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Green) each
will control 20 minutes.
[[Page H6150]]
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
General Leave
Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on S. 1064.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1064, the RENACER Act.
I thank my good friend, Albio Sires from New Jersey, for his tireless
work in championing this bill and continuously drawing attention to the
antidemocratic actions taken by the Ortega regime.
This legislation makes clear that the United States will not sit by
quietly as another country in our hemisphere slides further away from
our democratic values. Working with our friends and partners in the
international community, this bill will allow us to continue applying
pressure on the Ortega regime ahead of the elections later this month.
Sadly, all signs indicate that these elections will be far from free
and fair.
Passing this bill will demonstrate the United States Government's
strong belief that a commitment to upholding human rights and free
expression are key pillars of promoting and preserving democracy.
The legislation takes a number of important steps. It restricts the
Ortega regime's ability to access capital for corrupt purposes via
international financial institutions and will bolster transparency
mechanisms to ensure any that funds Nicaragua receives are not siphoned
off for illicit or illegal purposes.
The RENACER Act will also ensure our sanctions policy is thoughtful
and effective by focusing targeted sanctions on bad actors undermining
the rule of law and democracy and not on the Nicaraguan people.
Crucially, the legislation requires the Secretary of State to work
with partners to make our sanctions multilateral and even more
effective.
The RENACER Act also serves a crucial factfinding purpose by
including important reports on regime corruption, human rights abuses,
arms sales, and Russia's role in the country. Just as this bill builds
on the Nicaragua Human Rights and Anticorruption Act of 2018, these
report provisions will help Congress develop and mold additional
responses should the Ortega regime continue down an illiberal and
undemocratic path.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
House of Representatives,
Committee on Financial Services,
Washington, DC, November 2, 2021.
Hon. Gregory Meeks,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing concerning S. 1064,
Reinforcing Nicaragua's Adherence to Conditions for Electoral
Reform (RENACER) Act of 2021. In order to permit S. 1064 to
proceed expeditiously to the House Floor, I agree to forgo
formal consideration of the bill.
The Committee on Financial Services takes this action to
forego formal consideration of S. 1064 in light of our mutual
understanding that, by foregoing formal consideration of S.
1064 at this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over the
subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and
that our Committee will be appropriately consulted and
involved as this or similar legislation moves forward with
regard to any matters in the Committee's jurisdiction. The
Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an
appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate
conference involving this or similar legislation that
involves the Committee's jurisdiction and request your
support for any such request.
Finally, I would appreciate your response to this letter
confirming this understanding, and I would ask that a copy of
our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the
Congressional Record during Floor consideration of S. 1064.
Sincerely,
Maxine Waters,
Chairwoman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC, November 2, 2021.
Hon. Maxine Waters,
Committee on Financial Services,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairwoman Waters: I am writing to you concerning S.
1064, Reinforcing Nicaragua's Adherence to Conditions for
Electoral Reform (RENACER) Act of 2021. I appreciate your
willingness to work cooperatively on this legislation.
I acknowledge that provisions of the bill fall within the
jurisdiction of the Committee on Financial Services under
House Rule X, and that your Committee will forgo action on S.
1064 to expedite floor consideration. I further acknowledge
that the inaction of your Committee with respect to the bill
does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the
matters contained in the bill that fall within your
jurisdiction. I also acknowledge that your Committee will be
appropriately consulted and involved as this or similar
legislation moves forward, and will support the appointment
of Committee on Financial Services conferees during any
House-Senate conference convened on this legislation.
Lastly, I will ensure that our exchange of letters is
included in the Congressional Record during floor
consideration of the bill. Thank you again for your
cooperation regarding the legislation. I look forward to
continuing to work with you as the measure moves through the
legislative process.
Sincerely,
Gregory W. Meeks,
Chairman.
{time} 1415
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation, the RENACER Act,
that seeks to address the Ortega regime's dismantling of Nicaragua's
democracy, and seeks to support freedom-loving Nicaraguan's democratic
aspirations.
Frankly, Mr. Speaker, this legislation should have been passed months
ago when Congress had an opportunity to stop Ortega's campaign of
terror.
The world has watched in horror as Nicaragua, under Daniel Ortega's
authoritarian rule, has brutally consolidated into one-party
dictatorship. Joining the governments in Cuba and Venezuela, Ortega's
Nicaragua is now Latin America's third socialist regime.
On November 7, this coming Sunday, Nicaragua will hold a political
farce claiming to resemble elections. Meanwhile, Daniel Ortega holds
opposition candidates and over 140 political prisoners unlawfully
incarcerated. This includes people like opposition student leader
Lesther Aleman, a 23-year-old who cannot even walk due to the brutality
he has endured while illegally detained; or the husbands of Victoria
Cardenas and Berta Valle. They were leading presidential candidates who
planned to oppose Ortega in the next election, but found themselves
imprisoned in inhumane conditions and deprived of due process.
I have met with these brave women and I admire their courage and
advocacy for all of Nicaragua's unjustly detained.
I am a lead cosponsor of this bill, and I am grateful for the
leadership of Congresswoman Maria Salazar, and to the chairman of the
Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, Albio Sires, for his advocacy of the
plight of Nicaragua's political prisoners. I greatly appreciate his
friendship and his leadership.
This bipartisan bill will require targeted sanctions against corrupt
regime officials who have dismantled Nicaragua's democracy and
undermined these elections. It will also ensure the United States is
coordinating targeted sanctions with our Canadian and European Union
allies.
This legislation also expands oversight to ensure international
financing institutions are not enriching the corrupt regime while
making sure there are humanitarian exceptions. It requires a classified
report on Russia's nefarious activities in Nicaragua, whose
intelligence and security cooperation has dramatically expanded.
The United States must condemn the electoral charade taking place on
Sunday and urge our international partners to join us. America must
continue to be the beacon of freedom and stand against authoritarian
socialist leaders. We must hold the Ortega regime accountable for its
atrocious and destabilizing behavior.
We only need to look at Venezuela to see the consequences of ignoring
rising socialist authoritarianism. More can and should be done, and a
positive first step is passing this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join my colleagues in this effort. Mr.
Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
[[Page H6151]]
Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Salazar).
Ms. SALAZAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1064, the RENACER
Act. I am proud to have introduced this bill with Congressman Albio
Sires, Senator Bob Menendez, and Senator Marco Rubio.
For years, dictator Daniel Ortega has been quietly dismantling
democracy in Nicaragua. First, he ripped the constitution apart to get
reelected, then he seized control of every branch of government, of the
military, and of the police.
Ortega wants to rule the country from an iron throne, and the
Nicaraguan people are suffering as a result. Ortega has banned
political parties, and he has killed hundreds of Nicaraguans and jailed
hundreds more.
Now we are on the eve of one of his most brazen moves in nearly 35
years of terrorizing this country, a sham election where all seven
presidential candidates were arrested in broad daylight; one of them
being my ex-husband, Arturo Cruz. This is his most flagrant example of
a stolen election as we have ever seen, and the world needs to know
that.
His brutal regime must be held accountable for its crimes against
humanity and for its systematic attack on democracy. That is why
Congress must pass the RENACER Act now. RENACER increases sanctions on
Ortega and on Ortega's chief co-conspirator and vice-president, his
wife, Rosario Murillo; and on the Nicaraguan security forces that
brutalized their people.
It brings the international communities together to take down
Ortega's safe havens around the world, and it exposes the Russian
meddling in that country. The RENACER Act sends a clear message to
Ortega and Murillo that your time is up.
I am also pleased that the provisions from my Nicaragua Free Trade
Review Act were included in this critical legislation. This will
trigger a review of Nicaragua's participation in the Central American
Free Trade Agreement, CAFTA. The CAFTA-DR trade agreement gives
Nicaragua open access to United States markets. To trade with the
United States is a privilege, it is not a right.
I am here to tell Ortega and Murillo, you murderous dictators, you
treacherous thugs, you will no longer have a free pass to enrich
yourselves. Tyrants around the world are watching. Passing the RENACER
Act shows the consequences of jailing your political opponents, of
oppressing your people, and of stealing elections.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stand with those who have been
beaten and detained. I urge my colleagues to stand with the Nicaraguan
people. I urge my colleagues to take a stand against tyranny.
The United States has long been the torch-bearer for democracy around
the world. We must continue to carry that torch.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the RENACER Act.
Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would once again
like to thank my good friends, Mr. Deutch, Mr. Sires, and Ms. Salazar
for leading this measure. I am proud to join my colleagues in this
effort, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, RENACER is an excellent piece of legislation. I thank my
colleagues who, in a bipartisan way, worked together under
Representative Sires' tireless leadership, and for his work with
Senator Menendez in getting this bill across the finish line.
The United States must stand for democracy. We must stand for
democracy in Nicaragua. This legislation shows that we will not
abdicate our responsibility to do so.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support for
the RENACER Act, S. 1064, which seeks to hold the regime of Daniel
Ortega in Nicaragua accountable for its ongoing violations of human
rights and subversion of the rule of law and democracy in that country.
I am a proud cosponsor of the companion bill in the House, introduced
by my good friend and colleague from New Jersey, Albio Sires, and I
must say that today's vote could not be more timely.
For this Sunday, November 7, the Ortega regime will hold sham
elections where those who would have legitimately challenged strongman
Daniel Ortega are either in exile or in prison.
Among those who have been arrested are Cristina Chamorro Barrios,
Juan Sebastian Chamorro, Arturo Cruz Jr., Medardo Mairena, Felix
Maradiaga, Miguel Mora and Noel Vidaurre.
This past July I convened a hearing as co-chair of the Tom Lantos
Human Rights Commission entitled ``The Ortega Government and the Human
Cost of Repression in Nicaragua.''
Among those who testified at the hearing were the wives of two of the
arrested would-be candidates: Felix Maradiaga's wife Berta Valles, and
Juan Sebastian Chamorro's wife Victoria Cardenas.
These brave women gave voice to their husbands' courage, and spoke on
their behalf because they could not.
They recounted to us the repression unleashed by Daniel Ortega and
his wife Rosario Murillo, who is running for Vice President.
Berta Valles recounted to us that ``For years, Felix has been a
target of attacks by the Ortega regime because he speaks truth to
power. He has been beaten, confined to house arrest, and threatened.
For months, he endured 24/7 surveillance by the police. They have tried
again and again to silence him, but he never stands down.''
Likewise, Victoria Cardenas also told us that because her husband,
Juan Sebastian Chamorro, dared to speak out against Ortega's
oppression, ``the regime has also persecuted and harassed me and my
family. They have brought a civil case against me, my sister, and my
mother, which would take away all my mother's assets. They have brought
a criminal case against me, and there is an open warrant for my arrest.
It is clear that Ortega is using every part of Nicaragua's
institutions, including its judicial system, to not only persecute
those who challenge the government, but also their family members.''
Ladies and Gentlemen, we must counter this regime of repression.
It should be clear to all that this Sunday's election, with
opposition leaders in prison or in exile, is a sham.
I urge all of you to support the RENACER Act, which among other
things would apply targeted sanctions to advance democracy, coordinate
with our diplomatic partners to implement a sanctions strategy and
commit the United States further in support of an independent news
media in Nicaragua.
All who oppose the Ortega regime in Nicaragua--be they from the
Democratic Left or the Political Right--stand united against tyranny.
Likewise, we too are unified, Republicans and Democrats, in opposing
Ortega's tyranny. I urge my colleagues to support the bipartisan
RENACER Act, and stand with the people of Nicaragua.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutch) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, S. 1064.
=========================== NOTE ===========================
November 3, 2021, on page H6151, the following appeared: Mr.
Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I
yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The
question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Florida
(Mr. DEUTCH) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill,
S. 1064.
The online version has been corrected to read: Mr. Speaker, I
urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back
the balance of my time. Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I
rise in strong support for the RENACER Act, S. 1064, which seeks
to hold the regime of Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua accountable for
its ongoing violations of human rights and subversion of the rule
of law and democracy in that country. . . . Likewise, we too are
unified, Republicans And Democrats, in opposing Ortega's tyranny.
I urge my colleagues to support the bipartisan RENACER Act, and
stand with the people of Nicaragua. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The
question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Florida
(Mr. DEUTCH) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill,
S. 1064.
========================= END NOTE =========================
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. DAVIDSON. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.
____________________