Friday, February 9 2024 12:59

ArmInfo. 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).

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 that "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 commonsense legislation  and pass it immediately."

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.