Sen. Cruz Applauds Committee Markup of Legislation Addressing the Crisis in Nicaragua
Bipartisan measure advances to Senate floor, includes the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act and the Nicaragua Human Rights and Anticorruption Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted to report bipartisan legislation, built in part on the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act (S. 2265), co-authored by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), to hold President Daniel Ortega and his regime accountable for its human rights abuses and corruption in Nicaragua. Sen. Cruz issued the following statement applauding the vote:
“Nicaragua is facing the largest uprising since the civil war ended nearly 30 years ago,” Sen. Cruz said. “Daniel Ortega and his Marxist strongmen have systematically repressed the people of Nicaragua by dismantling the country’s electoral institutions and violently silencing the opposition. As Nicaraguans across the country take a stand against this brutal dictator, the U.S. must use its leverage to stop the flow of international finance to the regime until democratic reforms occur, and those responsible for corruption and human rights violations are held accountable. I look forward to the full Senate swiftly passing this bill.”
The approved measure combines two Sen. Cruz-led bills:
The Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act (S. 2265), authored by Sens. Cruz and Leahy directs the United States to oppose international loans to the Government of Nicaragua until the State Department can certify effective steps are being taken to hold free and fair elections, strengthen the rule of law, combat corruption, and protect the fundamental freedoms for all people of Nicaragua. This bill was joined by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), David Perdue (R-Ga.), Dick Durbin (D-Il.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). A similar effort led by Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) and Albio Sires (D-N.J.), passed the House of Representatives.
The Nicaragua Human Rights and Anticorruption Act (S. 3233), authored by Sens. Cruz and Menendez requires the imposition of sanctions on Nicaraguan government officials responsible for the deaths of protestors, human rights violations and acts of corruption. It calls for a negotiated political solution to Nicaragua’s crisis, including the commitment to early elections, and requires reporting on the involvement of Nicaraguan government officials in corruption and human rights abuses. This measure was joined by Sens. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), David Perdue (R-Ga.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.).
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