Two-year waiver issued through the Armenian Protection Act.

The Senate unanimously voted to pass the Armenian Protection Act last week, suspending U.S. financial aid to Azerbaijan for the next two years to prevent that nation from invading Armenia. Azerbaijan has placed a disputed region of southern Armenia under siege for the last nine months, and last week 100,000 Armenians fled the area, prompting some to describe the situation as ongoing ethnic cleansing.

“We must send a strong message and show our partners around the world that America will enforce the conditions that we attach to military aid,” Senator Gary Peters of Michigan, author of the Armenian Protection Act, said on the Senate floor. “If we do not take action when countries willfully ignore the terms of our agreements with them, our agreements will become effectively meaningless and toothless.”

• For members of the Senate as they seek to ensure U.S. assistance is not used for ethnic cleansing.
• For representatives in the House to be wise as they consider the legislation to block waivers for Azerbaijan.
• For Secretary of State Blinken as he monitors the situation between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
• For the people of Armenia as they experience persecution and exile from their homes.