February 8, 2024 - The South Caucasus News

House Foreign Affairs Committee member Mike Lawler (R-NY) with ANCA Board member Ani Tchaghlasian, ANC Artsakh’s Gev Iskajyan, and ANCA’s Tereza Yerimyan and Alex Galitsky during a Capitol Hill meeting focusing on Artsakh justice and Armenia security. Rep. Lawler introduced H.R.7288, blocking U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congressman Michael Lawler (R-NY) joined with a bipartisan group of Armenian Caucus colleagues in introducing the “Armenian Protection Act” (H.R.7288) – a bill, strongly supported by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), aimed at stopping U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan. Its Senate counterpart (S.3000), spearheaded by Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), was adopted unanimously last year.

The ANCA has launched a nationwide grassroots action campaign – anca.org/Lawler – to expand congressional support and fast-track consideration of the Armenian Protection Act (H.R.7288).

ANC Artsakh’s Gev Iskajyan joins ANCA Board members and staff at a meeting with Congressional Armenian Caucus co-chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ), stressing the need for Azerbaijan sanctions, including passage of H.R.7288

Representative Lawler co-authored this legislation with Armenian Caucus co-chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and fellow first-term legislator Gabe Amo (D-RI). If and when adopted and enacted into law, the Lawler-Pallone-Bilirakis-Amo Bill will tighten the existing statute restricting U.S. aid to Azerbaijan – Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act – substantively limiting the authority of the president to waive its full enforcement.

“For decades U.S. presidents have recklessly waived statutory restrictions on military aid to Azerbaijan’s authoritarian regime – materially aiding and morally emboldening both its 2023 ethnic-cleansing of Artsakh and its ongoing illegal occupation of Armenian territory,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “We thank Representatives Lawler, Pallone, Bilirakis and Amo for their principled leadership in restoring long-overdue congressional oversight of military assistance to Azerbaijan. We stand behind this and other legislative initiatives – from Section 907 and 502B-related measures to Magnitsky and Leahy sanctions – to hold Azerbaijan’s Aliyev regime accountable for its violations of international law,” concluded Hamparian.

Rep. Lawler, who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, was adamant about the need for clear Biden administration action to stop bolstering Azerbaijan’s anti-Armenian attacks. “Over 100,000 Armenians were targeted, abused and displaced by the government of Azerbaijan when they fled Nagorno-Karabakh in recent months,” explained Rep. Lawler. “There is no question of Azerbaijan’s aggression, yet President Biden continues to turn a blind eye.” He continued to note: “It’s simply unacceptable for the U.S. to be funding Azerbaijan’s campaign against the Armenian people. The Armenian Protection Act will put a stop to the Biden administration’s funding of Azerbaijan’s authoritarian regime and desire for regional dominance.”

Rep. Pallone stressed the need for Azerbaijani accountability for the genocide against Artsakh’s indigenous Armenian population. “President Aliyev broke international law when he ordered his deadly assault of Artsakh last September and still has not faced any meaningful consequences from the international community. World leaders failed to stop his genocidal campaign that has displaced 120,000 Armenians from their historic homeland even though his belligerent rhetoric and troop movements made it clear an attack was imminent,” stated Rep. Pallone. “It’s far past time for the United States and our allies to take serious actions that will prevent even more death and destruction at the hands of Aliyev and provide the safety and security in the region that Armenia needs to thrive as a democracy. The Armenian Protection Act will finally hold the Aliyev regime accountable, halt any further U.S. security assistance until they end their destabilizing actions in the region, and require proof that they can be a trustworthy party in peace negotiations moving forward. I call upon House leadership to take up this common sense legislation and pass it immediately.”

Artsakh Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan shares the latest developments in the aftermath of Azerbaijan’s genocide of Artsakh Armenians with Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI), a lead cosponsor of the Armenian Protection Act (H.R.7288)

Rep. Bilirakis stressed the importance of passing the measure. “Given the political and humanitarian crisis that has resulted from Azerbaijan’s recent aggression toward neighboring Armenia, it is unconscionable that U.S. tax dollars are going to support this brutal regime. Those dollars could better be used here at home,” said Rep. Bilirakis.

“We must send a clear message to the government of Azerbaijan and our partners around the globe that the United States will not stand for unprovoked attacks on the Armenian people,” said Congressman Amo, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “We cannot allow the government of Azerbaijan to get a free pass for their brutal military aggression and blockades against the ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. I am proud to support this bipartisan legislation to show that the United States stands with the people of Armenia and will not accept Azerbaijan’s assault on Nagorno-Karabakh.”

Both Presidents Trump and Biden – counter to the spirit and letter of Section 907 – chose to materially arm and morally embolden Azerbaijan’s aggression and eventual genocide against the indigenous Armenian Christians of Artsakh. The Lawler-Pallone-Bilirakis-Amo Bill will – by reaffirming this statute – help restore the Constitutional role of Congress in setting U.S. military aid policy and ensuring appropriate oversight and accountability of U.S. security and military assistance programs.

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ANCA

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

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