The NICA Act could be scheduled for a vote in the House of Representatives at any time. Act NOW to tell your Representative to vote NO! Click Here to Send a Message to Your Representative. Dear Representative _________________, I am writing to oppose the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act (NICA) of 2017, H.R. 1918. The result of cutting off Nicaragua from multilateral loans would be a serious blow to the economy and a certain flood of economic refugees at the US southern border. Nicaragua has signed an agreement with OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro for the OAS to monitor and accompany the municipal election scheduled for November. The OAS has already set up an office in Nicaragua to work with election officials to insure transparency and to strengthen democratic processes. This partnership between the OAS and the Nicaraguan government removes any possible rationale to pass the NICA Act. Considering the negative consequences that the NICA Act would have on both the ordinary people of Nicaragua and on the United States in terms of greater migration, I trust that you will vote against the NICA Act if it comes to the floor of the House. I hope to hear back from you that you will oppose H.R. 1918. Sincerely, Your Name and address H.R.1918, The Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act (NICA) of 2017 states that “The President shall instruct the United States Executive Director at each international financial institution to use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States to oppose any loan for the benefit of the Government of Nicaragua….” If the NICA Act becomes law, it will cause a serious blow to Nicaragua’s economy, creating a new wave of economic refugees to join those already coming north from Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. The Nicaraguan government uses foreign assistance from the international financial institutions to support social spending on health and education which have become an ever larger proportion of the national budget. As an example, in the 2016 budget, fifty-seven percent was dedicated to social spending with education spending rising to US$436 million from US$109 million in 2006. Important infrastructure projects included the completion of the paved road linking Bluefields in the South Caribbean Autonomous Region to the Pacific side of the country, and construction of new hospitals in Managua and Bilwi, Puerto Cabezas. And, while it is true that the Inter-American Development Bank has changed its voting formula so that the United States can no longer veto loans on its own, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund have never approved a loan opposed by the US. We also need to remember that the United States still owes Nicaragua billions of dollars reparations from the 1986 World Court decision for damages from the US funded contra war. Please Act Today to Let Your Representative Know that this Issue is Important to You. Allied Events Join the Tear Down the Walls Border Encuentro Nov. 10-12 organized by SOA Watch. Join La Voz de los de Abajo Chicago and Code Pink in Honduras – November 2017 – Honduras Human Rights Accompaniment – Observer Delegation.  Honduran human rights and grass roots organizations have asked for international accompaniment to defend human rights during the election because of the increased risk for people in communities and organizations in resistance at this time. Delegation to China: Pearl River Delta Region – Shenzhen, Dongguan, Hong Kohn Labor, Globalization, Migrant Workers, with Celebrate New Year in Hong Kong! U.S. Activist Solidarity Delegation to China, organized by National Immigrant Solidarity Network and Action LA Network. Like the work AFGJ is doing? Please support us today. You are subscribed to Alliance for Global Justice’s email list. Click here to unsubscribe