Administration Responds Constructively to Bipartisan Letter advancing Armenian Caucus Priorities; ANCA Pivots to Turning Newly Announced Policy into Actual Practice<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In response to months of sustained Armenian Caucus pressure and relentless Armenian American advocacy, the Trump-Vance Administration, this past week \u2013 in an unprecedented move \u2013 announced that the United States is actively encouraging both Yerevan and Baku to ensure \u201cthe return of ethnic Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh,\u201d reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The September 25, 2025 letter articulating this newly announced Trump-Vance policy \u2013 signed by Paul D. Guaglianone of the State Department\u2019s Bureau of Legislative Affairs \u2013 also explained that the United States is \u201cclosely monitoring the trials of detained ethnic Armenians in Azerbaijan, and \u2013 in a previously undisclosed move \u2013 confirmed that \u201cofficials at U.S. Embassy Baku attend legal proceedings whenever possible.\u201d Guaglianone closed by affirming that the State Department continues \u201cto call on the Azerbaijani government to protect Armenian heritage sites in Nagorno-Karabakh.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe welcome the commitments undertaken by the Trump-Vance Administration in its response to a bipartisan letter signed by 87 members of the Armenian Caucus, and are already working with our Congressional allies, coalition partners, and community activists to translate these commitments into concrete action,\u201d said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. \u201cOur hard-fought progress on each of these fronts \u2013 Artsakh refugees, Armenian hostages, and Christian churches \u2013 is a tribute to our collective resilience, our enduring resolve in the face of Yerevan\u2019s indifference and Azerbaijan\u2019s intense opposition.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Congressional Armenian Caucus letter, spearheaded by co-chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Brad Sherman (D-CA), and David Valadao (R-CA), emphasized: \u201cWe urge you to engage all parties in this unresolved conflict to ensure the collective, protected, and dignified return of forcibly displaced Armenians to their indigenous homeland of Nagorno Karabakh. Taking this action is in direct accordance with international law and in pursuit of a just and lasting peace in the region.\u201d The letter documents the consequences of Azerbaijan\u2019s 2023 blockade and military assault on Artsakh, which \u201cforcibly displaced the region\u2019s entire Christian Armenian population of 120,000 people.\u201d It further details how, following the assault, Azerbaijan \u201cengaged in the systematic destruction of Christian Armenian cultural heritage sites,\u201d and conducted \u201cthe widespread ransacking and demolition of civilian property, and public infrastructure, in an attempt to deny the possibility of return.\u201d Citing international precedents, the letter states: \u201cThe right of populations displaced by war to return to their homes is a fundamental principle of international law.\u201d It also references a December 2023 International Court of Justice order compelling Azerbaijan to ensure the safe and secure return of Artsakh\u2019s Armenian population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over the past several months, Armenian American advocates and supporters sent more than 100,000 emails and calls through ANCA national, regional, and local platforms, urging legislators to co-sign the letter. Additionally, ANCA\u2019s Leo Sarkisian and Maral Melkonian Avetisyan summer interns visited over 400 Congressional offices on a weekly basis, providing fact sheets and making the case for a U.S.-backed right of return policy for Artsakh genocide survivors. These priorities were also advanced during the ANCA\u2019s September 2025 fly-in Advocacy Days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Armenian Caucus letter specifically urged the Administration to support the Swiss Peace Initiative for Nagorno-Karabakh, a diplomatic measure adopted by the Swiss Parliament to \u201cestablish an international negotiation platform to mediate a safe, secure and internationally guaranteed return of Armenians.\u201d The Swiss initiative was prominently discussed during a standing-room-only Congressional briefing on July 10th, which brought together over 200 Capitol Hill staffers, human rights advocates, and policy experts. The event featured remarks from Swiss Parliamentarians Erich Vontobel and Lukas Reimann, Christian Solidarity International President Dr. John Eibner, and former Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian. Mark Milosch, Republican Staff Director for Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), the Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission opened the event and ANCA Policy Director Alex Galitsky moderated a robust question and answer session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joining Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Brad Sherman (D-CA), and David Valadao (R-CA) in cosigning the letter were Representatives: Gabe Amo (D-RI), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Nanette Diaz Barragan (D-CA), Wesley Bell (D-MO), Ami Bera (D-CA), Don Beyer (D-VA), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Andre Carson (D-IN), Greg Casar (D-TX), Sean Casten (D-IL), Joaqu\u00edn Castro (D-TX), Judy Chu (D-CA), Gil Cisneros (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Danny Davis (D-IL), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Charles Fleischmann (R-TN), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Vince Fong (R-CA), Valerie Foushee (D-NC), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Laura Friedman (D-CA), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Young Kim (R-CA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Nick LaLota (R-NY), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), John Larson (D-CT), George Latimer (D-NY), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Susie Lee (D-NV), Mike Levin (D-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Sarah McBride (D-DE), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), James McGovern (D-MA), Rob Menendez (D-NJ), Grace Meng (D-NY), Dave Min (D-CA), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Scott Peters (D-CA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Luz Rivas (D-CA), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), Haley Stevens (D-MI), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), David Taylor (R-OH), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Lori Trahan (D-MA), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), George Whitesides (D-CA), and Nikema Williams (D-GA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Administration Responds Constructively to Bipartisan Letter advancing Armenian Caucus Priorities; ANCA Pivots to Turning Newly Announced Policy into Actual Practice In response to months of sustained Armenian Caucus pressure and relentless Armenian American advocacy, the Trump-Vance Administration, this past week \u2013 in an unprecedented move \u2013 announced that the United States is actively encouraging both […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24024,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[115],"tags":[126,382],"class_list":["post-24023","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-anca","tag-382"],"yoast_head":"\n