U.S. Defense Spending Bill Gives Azerbaijan a Free Pass

WASHINGTON, DC – Despite sustained Congressional efforts to statutorily prohibit U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan, the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – that was adopted by the U.S. Senate today and is expected to be signed into law by President Biden – failed to include multiple provisions to hold Azerbaijan accountable for its ethnic cleansing of Artsakh, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“In the wake of Azerbaijan’s genocide of Artsakh, and amid its ongoing occupation of sovereign Armenian territory, this year’s defense spending bill grants Baku’s repressive Aliyev regime a free pass for its crimes against humanity,” stated ANCA National Board Chair Raffi Hamparian. “Despite considerable bipartisan and bicameral support for efforts led by Congressional Armenian Caucus members to hold Azerbaijan accountable, the final version of the NDAA reflects continued indifference and complicity by the United States in the face of Azerbaijan’s genocidal aggression against Armenia and Artsakh.”

The ANCA worked with Congressional allies to propose multiple amendments aimed at holding Azerbaijan accountable for its actions against Armenians and strengthening U.S.-Armenia relations:

— Amendment 396, introduced by Representatives Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ), aims to temporarily repeal the waiver authority that allows the U.S. to provide military assistance and other aid to Azerbaijan while its government continues to target, abuse, and displace Armenians. The amendment mirrored the language of H.R.7288, the House companion to S.3000, introduced by Senator Gary Peters and passed unanimously by the Senate in November 2023.

— Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA) introduced two amendments addressing Azerbaijan’s aggression against Armenians. Amendment 568 calls for the immediate release of all Armenian prisoners of war and detained civilians, while Amendment 570 prohibits new export licenses for offensive security equipment to Azerbaijan, limiting its ability to continue military hostilities.

— Representative Anna Eshoo (D-CA) introduced Amendment 1048, which directs the Department of Defense to develop a strategy to strengthen U.S.-Armenia security cooperation and deter further Azerbaijani aggression. In a related effort to address regional stability, Representative Katie Porter (D-CA) introduced Amendment 1110, commissioning a report on Azerbaijan’s energy partnerships with Russian and Iranian companies under international sanctions.

Despite strong bipartisan support, the House Rules Committee rejected all of these proposed amendments.

In the Senate, Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), a long-time advocate for the Armenian-American community, secured a provision in the Senate version of the NDAA encouraging the Department of Defense to enhance engagement with Armenia, including bilateral training and other security cooperation activities. However, this provision was stripped from the bill’s final version.

“We are deeply grateful to our Congressional allies for their efforts to ensure the security and sovereignty of Armenia amid the existential threat posed by Azerbaijan,” continued Hamparian. “In this rapidly changing political landscape, we look forward to collaborating with our allies and building new partnerships to push the incoming Administration and Congress to end the reckless appeasement of Azerbaijan. We must pursue meaningful action to support a just, durable, and dignified peace predicated on accountability for war crimes and the collective right of Artsakh’s Armenians to return in safety to their ancestral homeland.”