US House Panel Backs Armenian POWs, Rejects Aid Cuts

The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee has reviewed H.R.5300, a bill outlining the State Department's work priorities for 2026. During the discussion, several proposed amendments related to Armenia and the South Caucasus were approved. Specifically, the final version includes provisions to assist in the release of Armenian prisoners of war, protect religious and cultural heritage, and support the right of return for those forcibly displaced from Artsakh.

At the same time, a number of Armenian-backed initiatives were rejected. These include a proposal to reinstate the ban on military aid to Azerbaijan, as well as an amendment that would have restricted funding for projects in Turkey until the blockade of Armenia is lifted, and in Azerbaijan until all Armenian prisoners of war are released.

After the corrections and changes made in the committee, the newly revised bill has been sent for consideration by the full House of Representatives.