WASHINGTON, DC — This week the U.S. House of Representatives Rules Committee accepted amendments to H.R. 8800, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2027, and H.R. 8595, the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2027.
The Armenian Council of America applauds Representatives Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Darrel Issa (R-CA), and Gabe Amo (D-RI) for their leadership on Armenian American issues.
“These amendments represent a comprehensive and commonsense approach to advancing peace, deterring Azerbaijan’s aggression, securing the release of Armenian prisoners, and protecting Armenia’s sovereignty and cultural heritage,” said Taniel Koushakjian, ACA Executive Director of Government Relations. “We strongly encourage the House Rules Committee to support these amendments. Congress has an opportunity now to demonstrate that American leadership remains firmly aligned with the principles of human rights, accountability, religious freedom, and a durable peace in the South Caucasus.”
Amendments to H.R. 8800 – National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2027
Rep. Pallone’s amendment would prohibit the President from waiving Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act until Azerbaijan takes verifiable steps to release all remaining Armenian prisoners and detainees, withdraws its forces from sovereign Armenian territory, protects Armenian Christian cultural heritage, ceases the destruction of property in formerly Armenian-populated areas of Nagorno-Karabakh, and it conditions future U.S. security assistance on measurable Azerbaijani compliance with international law and the protection of Armenian human rights, cultural heritage, and territorial sovereignty.
Rep. Bilirakis’s amendment would require the Department of Defense to annually certify whether Azerbaijan has complied with key conditions, including withdrawing from Armenian territory, releasing all Armenian prisoners, ending hostilities against Armenia, recognizing the right of return for displaced Armenians, and preserving Armenian cultural and religious heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh. If Azerbaijan fails to meet these benchmarks, the Secretary of Defense would be required to conduct a comprehensive review of Armenia’s defense needs and U.S. security assistance while also triggering a prohibition on the President’s ability to waive Section 907 restrictions on aid to Azerbaijan.
Rep. Sherman’s amendment expresses the sense of Congress that Azerbaijan should immediately and unconditionally release all Armenian prisoners of war and political prisoners and that the United States should use all available diplomatic, economic, and legal tools to secure their release. Specifically, the amendment calls for full enforcement of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act and consideration of Global Magnitsky sanctions against those responsible for the continued detention of Armenian Prisoners of War (POWs) and political prisoners.
Rep. Amo’s amendment would prohibit U.S. security assistance to Azerbaijan under the Department of Defense’s Section 333 authority until the Secretaries of Defense and State certify that Azerbaijan has met a series of conditions, including withdrawing from Armenian territory, releasing all Armenian prisoners and detainees, ending threats and hostilities against Armenia, recognizing the right of return for displaced Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh, and protecting Armenian cultural and religious heritage sites. The amendment would require this certification within 180 days of enactment and annually thereafter, effectively conditioning future U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan on demonstrable progress toward peace, compliance with international norms, and respect for Armenian sovereignty and human rights.
Rep. Issa’s amendment, entitled the PEACE Act (Preventing Escalation and Advancing Caucasus Engagement Act), would establish a comprehensive sanctions framework requiring the President to impose sanctions on Azerbaijani government officials, military units, facilitators, and certain foreign financial institutions if Azerbaijan engages in hostile actions against Armenia. The amendment would authorize asset freezes, visa bans, financial restrictions, and secondary sanctions targeting entities that support Azerbaijani aggression, while also requiring regular presidential reporting to Congress and providing additional sanctions authority against individuals who undermine the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process. More broadly, the amendment establishes U.S. policy in support of Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, endorses ongoing peace negotiations, and seeks to deter future Azerbaijani military aggression through automatic economic and diplomatic consequences rather than relying solely on restrictions on U.S. assistance.
The House Rules Committee announced that it may meet the week of June 29th to provide for floor consideration of the NDAA.
Amendments to H.R. 8595 – the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 2027
Rep. Costa’s amendment directs the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to submit a report to Congress assessing the damage, destruction and continued threats to Armenian Christian religious, cultural and historical heritage sites in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh).
Rep. Costa also submitted a second amendment that prohibits funds from being provided to Azerbaijan until the President certifies that Azerbaijan has satisfied several conditions including taking steps to ensure the unconditional release of all remaining Armenian detainees and withdrawing Azerbaijani military forces from sovereign Armenian territory.
The House Rules Committee is scheduled to advance H.R. 8595 on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at 2:00pm.
