II 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2900 

To protect and provide humanitarian assistance to Armenians in Armenia 

and Nagorno-Karabakh impacted by actions taken by the Government 

of Azerbaijan, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 21, 2023 

Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. CASSIDY, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. PADILLA, 

Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. MARKEY, and Mr. PETERS) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

A BILL 

To protect and provide humanitarian assistance to Armenians in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh impacted by 

actions taken by the Government of Azerbaijan, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Supporting Armenians 

5 Against Azerbaijani Aggression Act of 2023’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 


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1 (1) In September 2020, Azerbaijan invaded 

2 Nagorno-Karabakh, resulting in conflict in which 

3 more than 6,500 people in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and 

4 Nagorno-Karabakh were killed. 

5 (2) According to the United Nations High Com6 missioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Azerbaijan’s 

7 2020 invasion resulted in the displacement of more 

8 than 91,000 individuals from Nagorno-Karabakh, 

9 with the vast majority, primarily women and chil10 dren, living in a ‘‘refugee-like’’ situation in the war’s 

11 aftermath. 

12 (3) People displaced by Azerbaijan’s invasion of 

13 Nagorno-Karabakh continue to have acute humani14 tarian needs, including access to drinking water and 

15 health care. 

16 (4) The COVID–19 pandemic compounded 

17 many of the challenges faced by Armenians dis18 placed from Nagorno-Karabakh. 

19 (5) Human Rights Watch found that Azer20 baijani forces indiscriminately used cluster muni21 tions and artillery rockets against civilian targets 

22 and destroyed civilian infrastructure, including hos23 pitals and schools during the 2020 war. 

24 (6) In September 2022, Azerbaijan unleashed 

25 another assault on Armenian territory, including the 


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1 cities of Vardenis, Sotk, Artanish, Ishkhanasar, 

2 Goris, and Kapan, which killed almost 400 military 

3 personnel. 

4 (7) Azerbaijani forces shelled Armenian commu5 nities in September 2022, killing at least 4 civilians, 

6 injuring 14, and displacing at least 7,600 people, in7 cluding almost 1,500 children and 100 people with 

8 disabilities. 

9 (8) In December 2022, Azerbaijan imposed a 

10 blockade of the Lachin Corridor, a road by which 90 

11 percent of food consumed by residents of Nagorno12 Karabakh previously entered the enclave. 

13 (9) Representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh re14 port that shortages of electricity and gas have 

15 caused 20 percent of the region’s businesses to close, 

16 led hospitals to ration power, prevented rural resi17 dents from traveling to hospitals in the capital city 

18 of Stepanakert, and resulted in children missing 

19 school. 

20 (10) The International Committee of the Red 

21 Cross (ICRC) has evacuated 196 patients from 

22 Nagorno-Karabakh through the Lachin Corridor for 

23 medical treatment since the blockade’s beginning 

24 and has helped 422 people to overcome family sepa25 rations resulting from the blockade. 


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1 (11) The International Court of Justice ordered 

2 Azerbaijan in February 2023 to ‘‘ensure unimpeded 

3 movement of persons, vehicles, and cargo along the 

4 Lachin Corridor in both directions,’’ a ruling with 

5 which it has failed to comply. 

6 (12) Azerbaijan’s installation of a military 

7 checkpoint in the Lachin Corridor in April 2023 fur8 ther threatens the supply of urgent humanitarian 

9 goods to Nagorno-Karabakh. 

10 (13) On August 6, 2023, the Armenian 

11 Ombudsperson reported that no humanitarian aid 

12 had entered Nagorno-Karabakh since June 15, and 

13 that miscarriages had tripled. 

14 (14) On August 7, 2023, a United Nations 

15 group of experts stated that Azerbaijan’s ongoing 

16 blockade of the Lachin Corridor ‘‘is a humanitarian 

17 emergency that has created severe shortages of es18 sential food staples’’ and threatens medical reserves. 

19 They further noted that Azerbaijan’s lifting of the 

20 blockade could alleviate the suffering of thousands 

21 and is ‘‘essential to ensure the safety, dignity, and 

22 well-being of all individuals during this critical 

23 time’’. 

24 (15) In certain instances, Azerbaijani authori25 ties have detained residents of Nagorno-Karabakh 


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1 traveling to Armenia through the Lachin Corridor, 

2 leaving ethnic Armenians who choose to depart for 

3 Armenia to avoid starvation to wonder if they can 

4 depart safely. 

5 (16) According to the International Committee 

6 of the Red Cross, residents of Nagorno-Karabakh 

7 lack life-saving medication, hygiene products, and 

8 baby formula, and basic foodstuffs are increasingly 

9 scarce. 

10 (17) The United States Commission on Inter11 national Religious Freedom’s 2023 Annual Report 

12 noted the documented destruction of Armenian her13 itage sites in Nagorno-Karabakh, including St. 

14 Sargis Church, while the European Parliament in 

15 March 2023 condemned an Azerbaijani policy to 

16 ‘‘erase and deny Armenian cultural heritage in and 

17 around Nagorno-Karabakh’’. 

18 (18) In a September 2022 report, the United 

19 Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial 

20 Discrimination expressed deep concern in Azerbaijan 

21 regarding ‘‘[i]ncitement to racial hatred and the 

22 propagation of racist stereotypes against persons of 

23 Armenian national or ethnic origin, including on the 

24 Internet and social media, as well as by public fig25 ures and government officials, and the lack of deVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:03 Sep 23, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2900.IS S2900

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1 tailed information on investigations, prosecutions, 

2 convictions, and sanctions for such acts’’. 

3 (19) Azerbaijan could open the Lachin Corridor 

4 and allow lifesaving provisions to reach the popu5 lation inside, but is choosing not to. 

6 (20) Any peace agreement between Armenia 

7 and Azerbaijan will only be sustainable if its in8 cludes protections for the Armenian population of 

9 Nagorno-Karabakh. 

10 (21) On September 19, 2023 Azerbaijan 

11 launched an assault on Nagorno-Karabakh, attack12 ing civilian infrastructure and killing numerous civil13 ians, including children. 

14 SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

15 It is the sense of Congress that— 

16 (1) Azerbaijan is conducting a campaign of eth17 nic cleansing against Armenians living in Nagorno18 Karabakh and the United States and the inter19 national community have a responsibility to provide 

20 immediate humanitarian support; 

21 (2) Azerbaijan’s blockade of the Lachin Cor22 ridor threatens the lives and wellbeing of all people 

23 inside Nagorno-Karabakh, and the Government of 

24 Azerbaijan must immediately open the humanitarian 

25 corridor to allow for the flow of goods; 


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1 (3) the Government of Azerbaijan must imme2 diately cease actions that undermine the mission of 

3 the International Committee of the Red Cross and 

4 restore unfettered humanitarian access to the region, 

5 including by facilitating the transfer of food, fuel, 

6 medicine, and hygiene products; and 

7 (4) the Government of Azerbaijan should imme8 diately release all Armenian prisoners of war. 

9 SEC. 4. HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE FOR ARMENIANS IN 

10 ARMENIA AND NAGORNO-KARABAKH. 

11 There is authorized to be appropriated to the United 

12 States Agency for International Development, for fiscal 

13 year 2024, $30,000,000 to provide humanitarian assist14 ance to groups in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh im15 pacted by the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War, Azerbaijan’s 

16 September 2022 attack on Armenia, and Azerbaijan’s 

17 blockade of the Lachin Corridor. 

18 SEC. 5. FREEDOM SUPPORT ACT SECTION 907 WAIVER RE19 PEAL. 

20 Title II of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, 

21 and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2002 (Public 

22 Law 107–115) (22 U.S.C. 5812 note) is amended, under 

23 the heading ‘‘ASSISTANCE FOR THE INDEPENDENT

24 STATES OF THE FORMER SOVIET UNION’’, by striking 

25 paragraphs (2) through (6) of subsection (g). 


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1 SEC. 6. FOREIGN MILITARY FINANCING. 

2 (a) AUTHORIZATION.—There is authorized to be ap3 propriated $10,000,000 for the Department of State for 

4 fiscal year 2024 for Foreign Military Financing program 

5 assistance for the Republic of Armenia. 

6 (b) PURPOSES.—The Foreign Military Financing 

7 program assistance authorized by subsection (a) shall be 

8 used to— 

9 (1) support Armenia’s sovereign independence; 

10 (2) support joint training and exercises with the 

11 United States; 

12 (3) enhance United States-Armenia interoper13 ability; and 

14 (4) train Armenian forces for future inter15 national peacekeeping operations. 

16 SEC. 7. STRATEGY TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE IN 

17 NAGORNO-KARABAKH. 

18 (a) STRATEGY REQUIRED.—Not later than 90 days 

19 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

20 of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional 

21 committees a detailed strategy to ensure the durable secu22 rity for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. 

23 (b) ELEMENTS.—The strategy required by subsection 

24 (a) shall include— 

25 (1) incorporating the rights and security of the 

26 people in Nagorno-Karabakh into any and all efforts 


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1 to facilitate peace talks between Armenia and Azer2 baijan; and 

3 (2) a plan to work with leaders of Nagorno4 Karabakh and the international community to en5 sure— 

6 (A) the establishment of accountability 

7 measures to ensure the rights and security of 

8 the population of Nagorno-Karabakh in the 

9 event that the governments of Armenia and 

10 Azerbaijan reach a peace agreement; 

11 (B) support for the protection of Armenian 

12 cultural heritage sites in Nagorno-Karabakh; 

13 and 

14 (C) Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh are 

15 able maintain their right to study according to 

16 a curriculum designed by local representatives, 

17 worship according to their chosen religious be18 liefs, and speak their preferred language. 

19 SEC. 8. ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ALLEGED AZERBAIJANI 

20 ATROCITIES DURING SEPTEMBER 2022 AT21 TACK ON ARMENIA. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the 

23 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State 

24 shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees 

25 a detailed report regarding alleged Azerbaijani atrocities 


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1 during its attacks on Armenia in September 2022 and on 

2 Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023. 

3 (b) ELEMENTS.—The report required under sub4 section (a) shall include the following elements: 

5 (1) A description of the status of efforts to in6 vestigate, verify, and promote accountability for al7 leged atrocities, including war crimes and crimes 

8 against humanity that Azerbaijani forces committed 

9 during the course of Azerbaijan’s attacks on Arme10 nia in September 2022 and on Nagorno-Karabakh in 

11 September 2023, and a description any the docu12 mented atrocities to date. 

13 (2) A description of United States support for 

14 efforts to investigate, verify, and promote account15 ability for alleged atrocities, including war crimes 

16 and crimes against humanity that Azerbaijani forces 

17 committed during the course of Azerbaijan’s attacks 

18 on Armenia in September 2022 and on Nagorno19 Karabakh in September 2023. 

20 (3) A description of efforts to promote justice 

21 for victims of alleged atrocities. 

22 (4) A strategy for diplomatic engagement to 

23 build support for widespread accountability for these 

24 atrocities, including multilateral engagements, eco25 nomic sanctions, and visa restrictions. 


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1 (5) Plans to deter future Azerbaijani attacks 

2 against Armenia. 

3 SEC. 9. ASSISTANCE TO SUPPORT THE ENERGY SECTOR OF 

4 THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA. 

5 (a) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of State and the Ad6 ministrator of the United States Agency for International 

7 Development are authorized to implement activities identi8 fied in the January 2021 ‘‘Action Plan to Ensure Imple9 mentation of the Republic of Armenia Energy Sector De10 velopment Strategic Program—Market Liberalization and 

11 Electricity Trade (MLET) program’’ produced by the 

12 Government of the Republic of Armenia and USAID to 

13 improve the Republic of Armenia’s energy security and en14 hance Armenia’s domestic energy production. 

15 (b) TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR GRID SYNCHRONI16 ZATION.— 

17 (1) COOPERATION.—The Secretary and the Ad18 ministrator shall work with the Republic of Armenia 

19 and the Republic of Georgia, as requested by the 

20 governments of those countries, to cooperate on the 

21 synchronization of electrical grids and broker ar22 rangements to allow for the purchase and trans23 mission of electricity between the Republic of Arme24 nia and the Republic of Georgia. 


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1 (2) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary 

2 and the Administrator may provide technical assist3 ance to the Republic of Georgia and the Republic of 

4 Armenia on energy sector regulatory reforms and 

5 system modifications, including the development of 

6 compatible cross-border transmission infrastructure 

7 necessary to allow for the safe and secure operation 

8 of an integrated power grid between the Republic of 

9 Armenia and the Republic of Georgia. 

10 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

11 authorized to be appropriated $650,000,000 for each of 

12 fiscal years 2024 through 2026 to carry out activities 

13 under this section. 

14 SEC. 10. PARTNERSHIPS FOR UNITED STATES-ARMENIAN 

15 COOPERATION ON SCIENCE AND TECH16 NOLOGY. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State, in coordi18 nation with the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, 

19 shall seek opportunities to facilitate partnerships between 

20 various United States entities and appropriate entities in 

21 Armenia to deepen collaboration and exchanges in science 

22 and technology, including— 

23 (1) an institution of higher education; or 

24 (2) a United States national laboratory or rel25 evant federally operated research facility, including 


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1 research, innovation, or technology laboratories, 

2 proving grounds, test facilities, or centers of excel3 lence operated by the Department of Agriculture, 

4 the Department of Transportation, or the Depart5 ment of Commerce that specialize in facilitating col6 laboration on the development of new applied 

7 science, research and technologies in the fields of 

8 transportation, agriculture, and food production, or 

9 telecommunications and information technology. 

10 (b) IDENTIFICATION OF PARTNERS.—The Secretary 

11 of State shall identify private sector entities that will con12 tribute resources to the initiatives and projects developed 

13 through partnerships under this section. 

14 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

15 authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for each of fis16 cal years 2024 through 2028 for activities under this sec17 tion. 

18 SEC. 11. IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO OF19 FICIALS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF AZER20 BAIJAN RELATED TO ETHNIC CLEANSING IN 

21 NAGORNO-KARABAKH. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after the 

23 date of the enactment of this Act, and after making the 

24 determination required by subsection (c), the President 


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1 shall impose sanctions described in subsection (d) with re2 spect to each official of the Government of Azerbaijan— 

3 (1) specified in subsection (b); or 

4 (2) determined by the President under sub5 section (c) to have directed an attack or the block6 ade described in that subsection. 

7 (b) OFFICIALS SPECIFIED.—The officials specified in 

8 this subsection are the following: 

9 (1) The President of Azerbaijan. 

10 (2) The Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan. 

11 (3) The Minister of Defense Industry of Azer12 baijan. 

13 (4) The Chief of the State Border Service of 

14 Azerbaijan. 

15 (5) The Chief of the State Security Service of 

16 Azerbaijan. 

17 (6) The Chief of the Foreign Intelligence Serv18 ice of Azerbaijan. 

19 (c) IDENTIFICATION OF ADDITIONAL OFFICIALS.— 

20 Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment 

21 of this Act, the President shall determine whether any offi22 cials of the Government of Azerbaijan, in addition to the 

23 officials specified in subsection (b), directed— 

24 (1) operations that instigated the 2020 

25 Nagorno-Karabakh War; 


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1 (2) attacks on Armenia in September 2022; 

2 (3) the blockade of the Lachin Corridor begin3 ning in December 2022; or 

4 (4) attacks on Nagorno-Karabakh in September 

5 2023. 

6 (d) SANCTIONS DESCRIBED.—The sanctions to be 

7 imposed under subsection (a) with respect to an official 

8 described in that subsection include any of the sanctions 

9 authorized under the International Emergency Economic 

10 Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) or any other provi11 sion of law. 

12 (e) NATIONAL SECURITY WAIVER.—The President 

13 may waive the imposition of sanctions under this section 

14 with respect to an official described in subsection (a) if 

15 the President— 

16 (1) determines that such a waiver is in the na17 tional security interests of the United States; and 

18 (2) submits to the appropriate congressional 

19 committees a notification of the waiver and the rea20 sons for the waiver. 

21 SEC. 12. APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE22 FINED. 

23 In this Act, the term ‘‘appropriate congressional com24 mittees’’ means— 


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1 (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and 

2 the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and 

3 (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 

4 Committee on Appropriations of the House of Rep5 resentatives. 

Æ 


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