U.S. lawmakers honor Genocide victims, denounce ethnic cleansing

PanARMENIAN.Net - On the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, dozens of U.S. Congress members from both the Senate and House of Representatives issued solidarity messages to the Armenian people and the Armenian-American community.

They made public statements, joined community gatherings, and posted on social media, reiterating their commitment to genocide recognition and the pursuit of justice. They also addressed the ethnic cleansing of Armenians in Artsakh, demanding accountability from Azerbaijan and calling for the immediate release of Armenian prisoners of war.

From Washington, D.C., to Armenian communities across various states, lawmakers raised their voices in remembrance of the 1.5 million genocide victims. These actions directly challenged the denialist policies of Turkey and Azerbaijan, while reinforcing calls to sanction Azerbaijan and deepen U.S.-Armenia relations.

“Members of Congress have shown extraordinary leadership—both in commemorating the Armenian Genocide and in holding Azerbaijan accountable for genocidal ethnic cleansing in Artsakh,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“Their principled stance strengthens genocide prevention efforts and promotes tangible policy responses—like sanctions against Azerbaijan—that serve as a powerful example for future generations. In today’s climate, such Congressional leadership is more essential than ever, especially as the White House retreats from properly recognizing this crime,” he added.

Many lawmakers also criticized President Donald Trump’s refusal to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide. Meanwhile, ANCA has remained actively engaged in backing legislation to end U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan, expand security cooperation with Armenia, and hold Turkey accountable for genocide denial.

The Armenian-American public is encouraged to visit anca.org/action to send letters to their elected officials, urging them to sustain their support for Armenia and Artsakh against Turkish and Azerbaijani military actions.

In recent days, ANCA representatives toured multiple states, meeting with local Armenian communities and their elected officials to present policy priorities and advocate for concrete measures.

A top priority has been enforcement of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act to fully cut military assistance to Azerbaijan. ANCA has also pushed for sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act against Azerbaijani officials implicated in war crimes.

The committee has urged U.S. authorities to work through the United Nations Security Council to ensure the right of safe return for displaced Armenians from Artsakh. The U.S. government is also being asked to pressure Turkey to end its genocide denial and take immediate action to protect the Armenian Christian Quarter in Jerusalem.

Across all these demands, ANCA emphasized that the U.S. must never become complicit in genocide denial. The group also called for an immediate halt to arms supplies to both Turkey and Azerbaijan and demanded that Azerbaijan release all Armenian POWs unconditionally.