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RENACER Act

Public Law 117-54 · S. 1064 · 117th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Joe Biden (D) on Nov 10, 2021 · International Affairs

Sponsor: Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ)

Cosponsors (6): Sen. Marco Rubio,

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 387 yea, 35 nay387–35
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

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.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 117th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 387 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

387 yea35 nay9 present or did not vote

ProEstablishmentAnti
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(185)

Republicans who voted yea(202)

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 353 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Related bills

2 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.

Data notes

Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 18 actions.

  1. Nov 10, 2021Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 117-54.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Nov 9, 2021FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Nov 3, 2021FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. FloorFloor · 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
  6. FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
  7. FloorFloor · At 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.
  8. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 1064.
  9. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  10. FloorFloor · Mr. Deutch moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  11. Nov 2, 2021FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
  12. FloorFloor · Received in the House.
  13. FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  14. Nov 1, 2021FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
  15. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  16. CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on Foreign Relations discharged by Unanimous Consent.
  17. Mar 25, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
  18. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes

Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.

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Amendments

1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.

  • S.Amdt. 4132SenateSen. Bob MenendezD-NJ· offered Nov 1, 2021Agreed to

    In the nature of a substitute.

    Nov 1, 2021: Amendment SA 4132 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

    Agreed to
Data notes

Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.

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Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.