Saturday, February 10 2024 14:47

ArmInfo. The Armenian Protection Act, a bill aimed at stopping U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan, has been introduced  to the U.S. House of Representatives, the Armenian Assembly of America reports.

"The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) welcomed the  introduction of bipartisan legislation spearheaded by Rep. Mike  Lawler (R-NY), along with Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Rep. Gus  Bilirakis (R-FL), and Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI), for the Armenian  Protection Act, which repeals the waiver authority to Section 907 of  the FREEDOM Support Act. 

Section 907 states that U.S. funds "may not be provided to the  Government of Azerbaijan 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." In the aftermath of  September 11, a conditional waiver was added to exempt Azerbaijan  from Section 907 if certain criteria were met and certified by the   Administration.  The introduction of this Act comes as the Senate  adopted by voice vote S.3000, also known as the Armenian Protection  Act, led by Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) and Senator Marco Rubio  (R-FL). Senator Peters, who traveled to Armenia in September of 2023,  emphasized his support for the Armenian people during the Assembly's  Fall 2023 Advocacy Summit, where he stated that he would encourage  more of his colleagues in the Senate "to support the Armenian people"  and for "repercussions" to take place against Azerbaijan's Aliyev  regime.

"We applaud Rep. Lawler, along with his colleagues Reps. Pallone,  Bilirakis, and Amo for this bipartisan measure," said Assembly  Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan. "Azerbaijan should  be sanctioned, not rewarded, for its genocidal policies against the  Armenian people," Khaloyan added," the source notes.

"Aliyev broke international law when he ordered his deadly assault of  Artsakh last year. He still has not faced any meaningful consequences  for his genocidal campaign that has displaced 120,000 Armenians from  their historic homeland even though it was clear an attack was  imminent," Rep. Frank Pallone wrote on X.

"It's past time for the U.S. take action to hold Aliyev accountable.  That's why I'm the leading Democrat on the Armenian Protection Act,  which will halt all further U.S. security assistance to Azerbaijan  and require proof that they can be a trustworthy party in peace  negotiations," the Congressman added.