The U.S. House Appropriations Committee advanced the Fiscal Year 2027 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill on May 2, including language that directs increased security assistance for Armenia and requires reporting on the proposed Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP). The move comes after advocacy from the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) and the Congressional Armenian Caucus.
The bill’s provisions are seen as a response to ongoing concerns about regional stability in Armenia and Azerbaijan. Advocates say these measures aim to strengthen Armenia’s defensive capabilities while addressing questions about international infrastructure projects like TRIPP that could affect Armenian sovereignty.
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian said, “The Committee’s action is a meaningful step forward — driven by the grassroots advocacy of Armenian Americans across the country and championed by Congressional Armenian Caucus Founding Co-Chair Frank Pallone and nearly fifty of his House colleagues.” He continued, “But our work is far from done. As long as Azerbaijan holds Armenian hostages, occupies sovereign Armenian territory, blocks the right of return for the Armenians it ethnically cleansed from Artsakh, and threatens further aggression — there is no justification, none, for a single American taxpayer dollar in military assistance to the Aliyev regime. Congress must finish what this Committee has started: suspend U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan, deliver real humanitarian relief for the Armenians forcibly displaced from Artsakh, and ensure rigorous oversight of any corridor framework that touches Armenian sovereign territory.”
Representative Frank Pallone said he was proud to help secure increased security assistance but expressed disappointment over omissions in humanitarian funding: “I’m proud to have helped secure increased security assistance for Armenia in the State Department’s proposed appropriations for Fiscal Year 2027,” stated Rep. Pallone. “I thank the almost 50 colleagues from the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues who joined me in a letter calling for greater investment in U.S.-Armenian cooperation and partnership. But I remain disappointed that the bill does not include additional funding for humanitarian aid for Nagorno-Karabakh’s tragically displaced populace nor additional restrictions on Azerbaijan’s destabilizing behavior. I look forward to working with my colleagues to further address these issues, and to continue building a fruitful relationship with the Republic of Armenia.”
The committee report directs International Military Education & Training (IMET) and Foreign Military Financing (FMF) funds be made available above prior year levels for Armenia. It also instructs detailed reporting within 90 days regarding TRIPP implementation partners—including any agencies providing investment finance—and potential roles played by federal entities such as DFC or Trade Development Agency.
However, some priorities remain unaddressed in this stage of legislation: requests for $100 million in humanitarian support through AEECA funds; full prohibition on U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan; or Global Magnitsky sanctions review were not included yet. The ANCA says it will continue mobilizing support as Congress considers final passage.
The full House is expected to consider this appropriations bill later this year while Senate deliberation on its companion measure will follow.