Armenian Protection Act (H.R.7288) Introduced in the House Restricting U.S. Aid to Azerbaijan

WASHINGTON, DC — Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), along with Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI) have introduced a bipartisan bill that will restrict U.S. aid to Azerbaijan by removing the Presidential authority to waive Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev broke international law when he ordered his deadly assault of Artsakh last year, Congressman Frank Pallone said in a post on X.

“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,” Pallone noted.

“It’s past time for the U.S. to 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,” Rep. Pallone said.

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.