This bipartisan legislation builds on the NICA framework I authored and built, which passed through Congress and was signed into law. I intend to advance it.
Advance the Restoring Electoral Fairness and Opposition Rights through Mandates for Accountability Act to renew and expand sanctions on Nicaraguan regime officials, affiliates, and other actors responsible for corruption, human rights abuses, religious persecution, election manipulation, political repression, and support for the Ortega-Murillo regime until Nicaragua makes meaningful democratic reforms.
Occurrences
Evidence
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
GovInfo bill text identifies S. 5369 as introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz with Sen. Tim Kaine, read twice, and referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The text would reauthorize Nicaragua sanctions through 2035 unless democratic conditions are certified, add Nicaragua's gold sector and other sectors as sanction targets, expand sanctionable conduct to religious persecution and political repression, and require implementation and transition reports.
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
GovInfo lists the last action date as August 7, 2026, with the action: Cruz and Kaine introduced the bill; it was read twice and referred to Foreign Relations.
Assessments
Cruz materially advanced the commitment by introducing S. 5369 with Sen. Kaine in the 119th Congress, and the bill text matches the promised sanctions renewal and expansion for Nicaragua. But as of the latest provided official status, the bill had only been read twice and referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on August 7, 2026; it had not passed or become law. Because Cruz is still in the same Senate term and the measure remains pending rather than failed or enacted, the outcome is unresolved with credit for effort.