Armenian Americans Mobilize in Washington, Demand Policy Action from U.S. Government

Congressional leaders joined with Armenian Americans and allies from across the U.S on Wednesday for the annual Capitol Hill observance of the Armenian Genocide, reports the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

They issued bipartisan calls for Azerbaijan’s immediate release of Armenian prisoners, the right of return for displaced Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)Armenians, and U.S. sanctions on both the Azerbaijani president Aliyev and Turkish president Erdogan regimes for war crimes and genocidal ethnic cleansing.

The solemn remembrance—titled “Reversing the 2023 Artsakh Genocide | Remembering the 1915-23 Armenian Genocide,” held in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center’s HVC-215 room—featured testimony and policy demands to hold Turkey and Azerbaijan accountable for their genocidal crimes against the Armenian nation.

Hosted by the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, the Capitol Hill program served as the capstone to two days of intensive grassroots advocacy. Hundreds of activists from across the U.S. met with their Senators and Representatives on Tuesday and Wednesday to advance pro-Armenian legislative priorities.

A dozen U.S. Senate and House members shared remarks and offered support for the event including Senators Cory Booker (NJ), Andy Kim (NJ), Ed Markey (MA), and Adam Schiff (CA), Congressional Armenian Caucus Founding Co-Chair Frank Pallone (NJ) and Vice Chair Brad Sherman (CA) and Representatives Gabe Amo (RI), Herb Conaway (NJ), Jim Costa (CA), Laura Friedman (CA), George Latimer (NY), and Jim McGovern (MA).

And the focus remains clear: enforce the statutory prohibition on U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan, impose Magnitsky sanctions on Azerbaijani war criminals, ensure the release of Armenian prisoners of war, secure the right of return for Artsakh’s displaced Armenians under international protection, press for a balanced peace that rejects threats of force and affirms Armenia’s sovereignty, and demand accountability from Turkey and Azerbaijan and urge the U.S. to take decisive action against their genocidal policies.