The U.S. House Rules Committee cleared the path for full House consideration of four ANCA-backed amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA – H.R.7900) that call for Azerbaijan’s immediate release of Armenian POWs, require U.S. State Department reports on Azerbaijani war crimes, and place conditions on the proposed sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey.

The amendments may be voted on individually or grouped in “blocs” and voted upon during House consideration of the NDAA, which may begin as early as this Wednesday evening, July 13th.

Pro-Artsakh/Armenia advocates can write, call, and tweet their U.S. Representatives to vote for the amendment by visiting anca.org/ndaa.

“We would like to thank Chairman McGovern for his leadership of the Rules Committee and to express our appreciation to the authors, cosponsors, and all those – in our community and among our coalition partners – who helped bring these ANCA-backed amendments to the U.S. House floor,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “We will, in the coming days, strongly back each of these amendments holding Azerbaijan and Turkey accountable – rallying bipartisan support for their passage and ultimate enactment into law.”

Hamparian’s video overview, shared live on ANCA social media platforms just moments after the House Rules Committee issued its decision, is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNS1BDWwp8M

The four pro-Artsakh/Armenia amendments to be voted on by the U.S. House are provided below (amendment numbers may change during final House votes on the measures):

Amendment #698: Introduced by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the amendment expresses the sense of Congress that the government of Azerbaijan should immediately return all Armenian prisoners of war and captured civilians. Joining Rep. Schiff as Congressional cosponsors of the bipartisan amendment include Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Tony Cardenas (D-CA), Judy Chu (D-CA), Katherine Clark (D-MA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Young Kim (R-CA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), James Langevin (D-RI), Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), Andy Levin (D-MI), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Tom Malinowski (D-NJ), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and David Valadao (R-CA).

Amendment #837: Spearheaded by Representatives Tony Cardenas (D-CA) and Brad Sherman (D-CA), the amendment calls for a report by the State Department and Defense Department which would detail the use of U.S. parts in Turkish drones used by Azerbaijan against Armenia and Artsakh; Azerbaijan’s use of white phosphorous, cluster bombs and other prohibited munitions deployed against Artsakh; Turkey’s and Azerbaijan’s recruitment of foreign terrorist fighters during the 2020 Artsakh war.  Joining Representatives Tony Cardenas (D-CA) and Brad Sherman (D-CA) as Congressional cosponsors of the bipartisan amendment include Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Judy Chu (D-CA), David Cicilline (D-RI), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), James Langevin (D-RI), Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), Andy Levin (D-MI), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and David Valadao (R-CA).

Amendment #992: Introduced by Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA), the amendment directs the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to document details of the waiver requirements to Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act and report on whether security assistance to the government of Azerbaijan undermines efforts toward a peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.  Joining Rep. Speier as congressional cosponsors of the bi-partisan measure include Representatives Judy Chu (D-CA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), James Langevin (D-RI), Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Dina Titus (D-NV), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and David Valadao (R-CA).

Amendment #478: Led by Representatives Chris Pappas (D-NH) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), the amendment would place conditions upon the sale or transfer of F-16s or F-16 modernization kits to Turkey.  Joining Representatives Pappas and Bilirakis as co-sponsors of the bipartisan measure are Representatives David Cicilline (D-RI), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), James Langevin (D-RI), Andy Levin (D-MI), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Grace Meng (D-NY), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV). A similar amendment, #208, was withdrawn prior to consideration by the Rules Committee.

Over the past weeks, in addition to nationwide grassroots call and twitter campaigns, the ANCA Leo Sarkisian, Maral Melkonian Avetisyan, and Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program summer interns and fellows have joined Hamparian and ANCA Government Affairs Director Tereza Yerimyan in advocating for these pro-Artsakh/Armenia priorities in legislative briefings for over one hundred Congressional offices, in addition to a broader office-by-office outreach campaign.  The efforts will continue through full U.S. House consideration of the measures.

https://en.armradio.am/2022/07/13/u-s-house-set-to-vote-on-amendments-demanding-release-of-armenian-pows-requiring-reports-on-azerbaijani-war-crimes/