Sponsors (31)
The bill increases U.S. support, leverage, and transparency to defend Armenia when Azerbaijan fails to comply, but does so by narrowing executive diplomatic flexibility, potentially raising costs and producing rushed reports.
Armenia (and U.S. regional security interests) could receive targeted U.S. security assistance to fill defense gaps when Azerbaijan fails to meet commitments, improving Armenia's deterrence and self‑defense.
U.S. lawmakers and taxpayers will get regular, specific reporting on Azerbaijan's compliance and U.S. threat assessments, increasing transparency and congressional oversight of U.S. policy in the region.
Limiting the President's waiver authority if Azerbaijan does not comply strengthens U.S. leverage to press Azerbaijan to withdraw forces and release prisoners.
U.S. diplomats and negotiators could lose flexibility because restricting the President's waiver authority may constrain options for broader settlements or coordinated diplomacy, potentially complicating conflict resolution.
U.S. taxpayers could face higher costs if providing the targeted security assistance requires new funding or arms sales.
Tight reporting deadlines (e.g., 14 days for reviews) may produce hurried assessments based on preliminary information, reducing report quality and limiting useful oversight.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Mandates Defense Department certification about Azerbaijan’s actions toward Armenia, and if certification is not made, triggers a rapid DoD review of U.S. security assistance to Armenia and limits a Presidential waiver authority.
Introduced December 18, 2025 by Gus Bilirakis · Last progress December 18, 2025
Requires the Secretary of Defense, working with other national security agencies, to certify within 180 days of enactment and annually whether Azerbaijan has taken specified meaningful steps toward Armenia (withdrawal from Armenian sovereign territory, release of prisoners, cease hostilities, recognize return rights to Nagorno‑Karabakh, preserve Armenian cultural sites, and uphold a Joint Declaration). If the Secretary cannot certify, DoD must conduct an immediate review of U.S. security assistance to Armenia, assess capability gaps, identify steps to increase cooperation, and report findings and recommendations to the congressional defense committees within a short timeline; additionally, the President’s statutory waiver authority for certain assistance to former Soviet states is suspended after the 14‑day period following a missed certification.