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Congressional Record—Senate S5987

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Congressional Record—Senate S5987 August 5, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S5987 (2) removing barriers to mental health care Sec. 11. Report on human rights abuses in Nica- atic dismantling and undermining of democratic for health care professionals; and ragua. institutions and the rule of law, its use of indis- (3) strategies to promote resiliency among Sec. 12. Supporting independent news media criminate violence and repressive tactics against health care professionals in health care set- and freedom of information in civilians, as well as its corruption leading to the tings. Nicaragua. destabilization of Nicaragua’s economy, con- SEC. 6. GAO REPORT. Sec. 13. Amendment to short title of Public Law stitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to Not later than 4 years after the date of en- 115–335. the national security and foreign policy of the actment of this Act, the Comptroller General Sec. 14. Definition. United States’’. of the United States shall report to Congress SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. (2) Article 21.2 of the Dominican Republic- on the extent to which Federal substance use It is the sense of Congress that— Central America-United States Free Trade disorder and mental health grant programs (1) ongoing efforts by the government of Presi- Agreement approved by Congress under section address the prevalence and severity of men- dent Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua to suppress the 101(a)(1) of the Dominican Republic-Central tal health conditions and substance use dis- voice and actions of political opponents through America-United States Free Trade Agreement orders among health professionals. Such re- intimidation and unlawful detainment, civil so- Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 4011(a)(1)) states, port shall include an analysis of available ciety, and independent news media violate the ‘‘Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed . evidence and data related to such conditions fundamental freedoms and basic human rights . to preclude a Party from applying measures and programs, and shall assess whether there of the people of Nicaragua; that it considers necessary for the fulfillment of are duplicative goals and objectives among (2) Congress unequivocally condemns the po- its obligations with respect to the maintenance such grant programs. litically motivated and unlawful detention of or restoration of international peace or security, Mr. SCHATZ. I ask unanimous con- presidential candidates Cristiana Chamorro, or the protection of its own essential security in- Arturo Cruz, Felix Maradiaga, and Juan Sebas- sent that the motion to reconsider be terests.’’. tian Chamorro; (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of considered made and laid upon the (3) Congress unequivocally condemns the pas- Congress that the President should review the table. sage of the Foreign Agents Regulation Law, the continued participation of Nicaragua in the Do- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Special Cybercrimes Law, the Self-Determina- minican Republic-Central America-United objection, it is so ordered. tion Law, and the Consumer Protection Law by States Free Trade Agreement if the Government f the National Assembly of Nicaragua, which rep- of Nicaragua continues to tighten its authori- resent clear attempts by the Ortega government tarian rule in an attempt to subvert democratic REINFORCING NICARAGUA’S AD- to curtail the fundamental freedoms and basic elections in November 2021 and undermine de- HERENCE TO CONDITIONS FOR human rights of the people of Nicaragua; mocracy and human rights in Nicaragua. ELECTORAL REFORM ACT OF 2021 (4) Congress recognizes that free, fair, and SEC. 4. RESTRICTIONS ON INTERNATIONAL FI- transparent elections predicated on robust re- Mr. SCHATZ. Mr. President, I ask NANCIAL INSTITUTIONS RELATING form measures and the presence of domestic and TO NICARAGUA. unanimous consent that the Senate international observers represent the best oppor- Section 4 of the Nicaragua Investment Condi- proceed to the immediate consider- tunity for the people of Nicaragua to restore de- tionality Act of 2018 is amended— ation of Calendar No. 86, S. 1041. mocracy and reach a peaceful solution to the (1) by redesignating subsections (a), (b), and The PRESIDING OFFICER. The political and social crisis in Nicaragua; (c) as subsections (b), (c), and (d), respectively; clerk will report the bill by title. (5) the United States recognizes the right of (2) by inserting before subsection (b), as redes- The legislative clerk read as follows: the people of Nicaragua to freely determine their ignated by paragraph (1), the following: A bill (S. 1041) to advance the strategic own political future as vital to ensuring the sus- ‘‘(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of alignment of United States diplomatic tools tainable restoration of democracy in their coun- Congress that the Secretary of the Treasury toward the realization of free, fair, and try; should take all possible steps, including through transparent elections in Nicaragua and to re- (6) the United States should align the use of the full implementation of the exceptions set affirm the commitment of the United States diplomatic engagement and all other foreign forth in subsection (c), to ensure that the re- to protect the fundamental freedoms and policy tools, including the use of targeted sanc- strictions required under subsection (b) do not human rights of the people of Nicaragua, and tions, in support of efforts by democratic polit- negatively impact the basic human needs of the for other purposes. ical actors and civil society in Nicaragua to ad- people of Nicaragua.’’; vance the necessary conditions for free, fair, (3) in subsection (c), as so redesignated, by There being no objection, the Senate and transparent elections in Nicaragua; striking ‘‘subsection (a)’’ and inserting ‘‘sub- proceeded to consider the bill, which (7) the United States, in order to maximize the section (b)’’; and had been reported from the Committee effectiveness of efforts described in paragraph (4) by striking subsection (d), as so redesig- on Foreign Affairs, with an amendment (6), should— nated, and inserting the following: to strike all after the enacting clause (A) coordinate with diplomatic partners, in- ‘‘(d) INCREASED OVERSIGHT.— and insert in lieu thereof the following: cluding the Government of Canada, the Euro- ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The United States Execu- pean Union, and partners in Latin America and tive Director at each international financial in- SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. the Caribbean; stitution of the World Bank Group, the United (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as States Executive Director at the Inter-American the ‘‘Reinforcing Nicaragua’s Adherence to (B) advance diplomatic initiatives in consulta- Development Bank, and the United States Exec- Conditions for Electoral Reform Act of 2021’’ or tion with the Organization of American States utive Director at each other international finan- the ‘‘RENACER Act’’. and the United Nations; and cial institution, including the International (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of con- (C) thoroughly investigate the assets and Monetary Fund, shall take all practicable tents for this Act is as follows: holdings of the Nicaraguan Armed Forces in the United States and consider appropriate actions steps— Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. ‘‘(A) to increase scrutiny of any loan or fi- Sec. 2. Sense of Congress. to hold such forces accountable for gross viola- nancial or technical assistance provided for a Sec. 3. Review of participation of Nicaragua in tions of human rights; and project in Nicaragua; and Dominican Republic-Central (8) pursuant to section 6(b) of the Nicaragua ‘‘(B) to ensure that the loan or assistance is America-United States Free Trade Investment Conditionality Act of 2018, the Presi- administered through an entity with full tech- Agreement. dent should waive the application of restrictions Sec. 4. Restrictions on international financial under section 4 of that Act and the sanctions nical, administrative, and financial independ- institutions relating to Nicaragua. under section 5 of that Act if the Secretary of ence from the Government of Nicaragua. Sec. 5. Targeted sanctions to advance demo- State certifies that the Government of Nicaragua ‘‘(2) MECHANISMS FOR INCREASED SCRUTINY.— cratic elections. is taking the steps identified in section 6(a) of The United States Executive Director at each Sec. 6. Developing and implementing a coordi- that Act, including taking steps to ‘‘to hold free international financial institution described in nated sanctions strategy with dip- and fair elections overseen by credible domestic paragraph (1) shall use the voice, vote, and in- lomatic partners. and international observers’’. fluence of the United States to encourage that Sec. 7. Inclusion of Nicaragua in list of coun- SEC. 3. REVIEW OF PARTICIPATION OF NICA- institution to increase oversight mechanisms for tries subject to certain sanctions RAGUA IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC- new and existing loans or financial or technical relating to corruption. CENTRAL AMERICA-UNITED STATES assistance provided for a project in Nicaragua. Sec. 8. Classified report on the involvement of FREE TRADE AGREEMENT. ‘‘(e) INTERAGENCY CONSULTATION.—Before im- Ortega family members and Nica- (a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following plementing the restrictions described in sub- raguan government officials in findings: section (b), or before exercising an exception corruption. (1) On November 27, 2018, the President signed under subsection (c), the Secretary of the Treas- Sec. 9. Classified report
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