Washington, D.C.- Senators Gary Peters’ (D-MI) and Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) bipartisan Armenian Protection Act has successfully passed in the Senate.
Last September, Azerbaijan launched a military invasion into the Armenian-held Nagorno-Karabakh ethnic enclave and seized control of the area.
Hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee and hundreds have been killed or injured.
The military offensive was preceded by a 9-month siege of Nagorno-Karabakh, which reportedly prevented the flow of medical supplies and food. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in February ordered Azerbaijan call-off its blockade, which Azerbaijan failed to do.
A group of bipartisan Senators had penned a letter to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Secretary of the Treasury Jannet Yellen requesting immediate sanctions on the Azerbaijan government.
Absent action from the White House, the Armenian Protection Act would cut all US aid to Azerbaijan until blockades and offensive acts towards Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh region cease.
“U.S. taxpayer dollars should not be going towards Azerbaijan, a nation that has brought instability to the region,” said Senator Rubio in support of the bill’s passage.
The Armenian Assembly of America, an advocacy group seeking to increase US-Armenia relations and bolster US support of Armenian public institutions, welcomed the bill’s passage.
“We commend Senator Peters along with Senator Rubio for this bipartisan legislation,” stated Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan. “Passage of this Bill sends a strong message in the face of Azerbaijan’s genocidal policies against the Armenian people,” Khaloyan continued.
Earlier in November, Armenian Apostolic Church leaders met with Congressmembers in the House of Representatives to lobby for American support of Armenia
Given the bi-partisan support for the Armenian Protection Act in the Senate, its speedy passage in the House is expected.