U.S. House Lawmakers Press for Major Increase in Aid to Artsakh Refugees, Total Ban on Aid to Azerbaijan
WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is calling for U.S. House passage of three amendments to the Fiscal Year 2025 foreign aid bill (H.R.8771), that would expand U.S. aid to Artsakh refugees forced from their homes during the 2023 Azerbaijan genocide and block military assistance to the Azerbaijani perpetrators of that crime.
The ANCA is leading a nationwide grassroots effort – anca.org/FY25aid – to encourage Representatives to cosponsor each of the amendments, which are set to be considered by the House Rules Committee as early as next week. The full U.S. House will have the opportunity to vote on amendments that are ruled in order, either separately or as groups of “en bloc” amendments. Amendments with strong bipartisan support are the most likely to be ruled in order.
“President Biden – having armed and abetted Azerbaijan’s genocide of Artsakh – has an opportunity this week to seek a measure of redemption for his shameful complicity in this crime, starting with vigorous public support for each of these three amendments,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “He can – at long last – stop appeasing Azerbaijan, and start working with legislators to hold this dictatorship accountable.”
Amendment 146, introduced by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), calls for $100 million in US funding for the Republic of Armenia under the Assistance to Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia (AEECA) account to support victims from Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), forced to flee their ancestral homeland amid Azerbaijan’s full-scale attack in 2023.
Amendment 51, introduced by Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), would prohibit funds in the bill from being used to support Azerbaijani security, development, or settlement in territories captured by force, including Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh).
Amendment 54, introduced by Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) with the support of Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), prohibits funding to Azerbaijan in Fiscal Year 2025 until the President determines, and so reports to the Congress, that the Government of Azerbaijan is taking demonstrable steps to cease all blockades and other offensive uses of force against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh). This amendment includes no waiver authority since the Administration is currently exercising waiver authority to get around Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, which prohibits such assistance.
The ANCA is also supporting bipartisan Amendment 48, led by Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH), Gus Bilirakis, and Veronica Escobar (D-TX), which would streamline the review process for the sale of US defense articles to Cyprus.
