S. 1064 · 117th Congress

RENACER Act

Introduced on Mar 25, 2021 by Robert Menendez (D-NJ). 6 cosponsors, 2 of them from another party. Became Public Law 117-54.

Stage
Became law
Public Law 117-54
Introduced
Mar 25, 2021
Cosponsors
6
2 from the other party
Policy area
International Affairs
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Progress

The furthest stage the measure reached. Simple and concurrent resolutions do not go to the President.

  1. Introduced
  2. Reported by committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Sent to the President
  6. Became law

Official title

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

Subjects

  • Assault and harassment offenses
  • Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies
  • Canada
  • Caribbean area
  • Congressional oversight
  • Crimes against property
  • Detention of persons
  • Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
  • Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
  • Europe
  • European Union
  • Foreign loans and debt
  • Foreign property
  • Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
  • Human rights
  • Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
  • International exchange and broadcasting
  • International organizations and cooperation
  • Latin America
  • Military assistance, sales, and agreements
  • Multilateral development programs
  • News media and reporting
  • Nicaragua
  • Protest and dissent
  • Russia
  • Sanctions
  • Sex offenses
  • Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status
  • Spacecraft and satellites
  • Violent crime
  • Visas and passports

Summary

By the Congressional Research Service (Public Law, Nov 10, 2021). Public domain.

Reinforcing Nicaragua's Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform Act of 2021 or the RENACER Act

This bill establishes measures to monitor, report on, and address corruption and human rights abuses in Nicaragua.

Specifically, the bill directs U.S. leadership at international financial institutions to advocate for increased oversight with respect to any loan or financial or technical assistance for projects in Nicaragua.

The Department of State and the Department of the Treasury must establish a coordinated strategy to align diplomatic engagement with the implementation of targeted sanctions to facilitate free, fair, and transparent elections in Nicaragua. Pursuant to this strategy, the President must prioritize implementing targeted sanctions on persons obstructing the establishment of conditions necessary for such elections. The State Department must also engage in diplomatic efforts with partner countries to impose targeted sanctions on such individuals.

The bill adds Nicaragua to a list of countries whose citizens are subject to visa-blocking sanctions for knowingly engaging in (1) actions undermining democratic processes or institutions, or (2) significant corruption or obstruction of investigations into such corruption.

Further, the bill requires the State Department to report on

  • the involvement of President Daniel Ortega, members of his family, and senior government officials in significant acts of public corruption;
  • Russian activities in Nicaragua, including cooperation between Russian and Nicaraguan military personnel and intelligence services;
  • all purchases and agreements entered into by Nicaragua with respect to its military or intelligence sector; and
  • gross human rights violations by the Ortega government against campesinos (i.e., natives of Latin American rural areas, especially Latin American Indian farmers or farm laborers) and indigenous communities.

In addition, the State Department must report on obstacles faced by Nicaraguans to obtaining accurate, objective, and comprehensive news and information about domestic and international affairs and submit a strategy for strengthening independent broadcasting, information distribution, and media platforms in Nicaragua.

Sponsor and cosponsors

Cosponsors by party as of the day they signed on. Original cosponsors signed on the day of introduction.

Robert MenendezD-NJSponsor

Democrats · 4

Republicans · 2

Roll calls

Recorded votes on the measure. Most measures move by voice vote or unanimous consent, which record no individual positions.

  1. On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass
    Nov 3, 2021· House· Passage· Passed 387–35

History

Every action as published, oldest first. Roll calls link to how each member voted.

  1. Mar 25, 2021Introduced in Senate
  2. Mar 25, 2021 · SenateRead twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
  3. Nov 1, 2021Senate Committee on Foreign Relations discharged by Unanimous Consent.
  4. Nov 1, 2021 · SenateSenate Committee on Foreign Relations discharged by Unanimous Consent.
  5. Nov 1, 2021 · SenateMeasure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S7571-7572)
  6. Nov 1, 2021Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
  7. Nov 1, 2021 · SenatePassed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
  8. Nov 2, 2021 · SenateMessage on Senate action sent to the House.
  9. Nov 2, 2021 · HouseReceived in the House.
  10. Nov 2, 2021 · HouseHeld at the desk.
  11. Nov 3, 2021 · HouseMr. Deutch moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  12. Nov 3, 2021 · HouseConsidered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6147-6151)
  13. Nov 3, 2021 · HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 1064.
  14. Nov 3, 2021 · HouseAt the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  15. Nov 3, 2021 · HouseConsidered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H6156-6157)
  16. Nov 3, 2021Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 387 - 35, 4 Present (Roll no. 354).House · Roll call 354
  17. Nov 3, 2021 · HouseOn motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 387 - 35, 4 Present (Roll no. 354).House · Roll call 354
  18. Nov 3, 2021 · HouseMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  19. Nov 9, 2021Presented to President.
  20. Nov 9, 2021 · HousePresented to President.
  21. Nov 10, 2021Signed by President.
  22. Nov 10, 2021Signed by President.
  23. Nov 10, 2021Became Public Law No: 117-54.
  24. Nov 10, 2021Became Public Law No: 117-54.

Committees

Committees and subcommittees the measure was referred to.

Agencies in its committees' jurisdiction

Analisa's mapping of committee jurisdiction to federal agencies; the bill may touch others, or none of these.

Sources and method

Every figure on this page traces to these records.

  • Bill status: bills and resolutions, sponsors, actions, subjects and CRS summaries (U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo), from Congress.gov (Library of Congress))GovInfo Bill Status bulk data (Congress.gov; summaries by the Congressional Research Service) · data current to Oct 7, 2026 · loaded Oct 7, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Members of Congress, their terms, committees and identifiers (The @unitedstates project (from the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, the House and the Senate))unitedstates/congress-legislators: legislators, committees and current committee membership · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication)
  • House roll-call votes (Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, roll-call vote records · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Senate roll-call votes and DW-NOMINATE scores (Voteview (UCLA Department of Political Science))Lewis, Jeffrey B., Keith Poole, Howard Rosenthal, Adam Boche, Aaron Rudkin, and Luke Sonnet (2026). Voteview: Congressional Roll-Call Votes Database. https://voteview.com/ · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Free to use with the required citation
  • Lobbying disclosures (LD-1 registrations, LD-2 quarterly reports, LD-203 contribution reports) (Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives)Clerk of the House, Lobbying Disclosure Act filings (organizations only; lobbyists' names are not loaded) · data current to Oct 7, 2026 · loaded Oct 7, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Positions are shown only where a roll call recorded them; voice votes and unanimous consent record none.