Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)

Thank you to all who joined the ANCA team on Friday night for dinner at the Soorp Khatch Armenian Church Food Festival. As always, great food and wonderful conversations were had by all while supporting our DC-MD-VA community. And a great opportunity for our Fall 2025 Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway cohort to meet the DC area Armenian professionals. Good news! The Armenian Food Festival continues all weekend! Enjoy the food, catch up with friends, and stock up on the desserts and great gifts from Armenia. WHAT: Soorp Khatch Armenian Church Armenian Food Festival WHERE: Soorp Khatch Armenian Church – 4906 Flint Drive, Bethesda MD 20816 WHEN: Saturday, September 20th until 9:00 pm EST; Sunday, September 21st 12:30 to 4pm Encourage friends and family to join you! https://lnkd.in/eB7w83BX Up Next! Up for a drink after work? The ANCA is excited to invite Armenian American professionals, friends, and supporters to our "September Soirée" Networking Event! Date: Friday, September 26th When: 6:00 - 9:00 pm Where: Mission Dupont (upstairs loft) | 1606 20th St NW, Washington, DC 20009 More info: networking@anca.org #ANCAFridayHyeLights #ANCA #NetworkingEvent #ancapn #ArmenianProfessionals

#BREAKING: House Foreign Affairs Committee Calls for Release of Armenian Prisoners, Return of Artsakh’s Armenians - -Representatives Amo, Sherman, and Titus Lead Efforts to Demand Accountability for Azerbaijan and Turkey’s Regional Aggression WASHINGTON, DC – The House Foreign Affairs Committee today adopted ANCA-backed amendments to the Fiscal Year 2026 State Department Authorization Bill (H.R.5300), directing the State Department to secure the release of Armenian prisoners of war, safeguard Armenian religious and cultural heritage, and support the right of return for the forcibly displaced Armenians of Artsakh. In a further step forward for accountability, the Committee also passed an amendment calling for a comprehensive report on Turkey’s regional destabilization. “Despite all the stakeholders trying to erase Artsakh, forsake hostages, and abandon our holy sites, the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee – on a bipartisan basis – took a strong stand today for the return of Armenians to Artsakh, the release of Armenian hostages, and the protection of our Christian holy sites,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “We will continue to fight efforts to normalize genocide – to legitimize ethnic cleansing – because doing so only invites more genocide, further ethnic cleansing.” Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/edU6QsxZ #ANCAdvocacy

WATCH: During today's House Foreign Affairs Committee session, Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) speaks out on the ANCA-supported Rep. Dina Titus Amendment on Turkey’s S-400 Missile Deployment. The amendment requires a detailed U.S. report on: -- Turkey’s deployment of Russian S-400 missile systems -- The effectiveness of U.S. sanctions imposed under CAATSA -- Implications for NATO interoperability and U.S. national security In Rep. Schneider’s words: "It is imperative that we understand the implications of Turkey’s decision... and the impact of U.S. sanctions levied as a result." #ANCAdvocacy

Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI) makes the case for his ANCA-backed State Department Authorization amendment, adopted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee today, seeking the release of Armenian prisoners, safe return of Artsakh Armenians, and protection of Armenian cultural sites. #ANCAdvocacy

#BREAKING: The House Foreign Affairs Committee has adopted the State Department Authorization Act amendment - led by Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) & supported by the ANCA - demanding a full U.S. report on Turkey’s deployment of Russian S-400 missiles. The Titus amendment: -- Highlights the ongoing national security risks posed by Turkey’s deployment of Russian S-400s -- Underscores Turkey’s growing divergence from NATO standards, including its ability to operate alongside allied forces using advanced systems like the F-35 -- Evaluates the effectiveness of current U.S. sanctions on Turkey’s defense sector -- Calls for greater transparency regarding Turkish cooperation with Russia’s military and intelligence services #ANCAdvocacy #SanctionTurkey #StopErdogan

#BREAKING: The House Foreign Affairs Committee has adopted the State Department Authorization amendment - led by Rep. Gabe Amo & backed by the ANCA - which seeks the release of Armenian prisoners, safe return of Artsakh Armenians, and protection of Armenian cultural sites. #ANCAdvocacy #FreeArmenianPrisoners

Bipartisan leadership on Capitol Hill! Reps. Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the Azerbaijan Sanctions Review Act of 2025 (H.R.5369) – demanding accountability for Azerbaijan’s war crimes, genocidal ethnic cleansing of Artsakh, and the ongoing illegal detention of Armenian POWs and civilians. During ANCA Advocacy Days this week, the ANCA reached out to 435 Congressional offices, encouraging support for H.R.5369 to ensure Aliyev and his accomplices face consequences under U.S. law. Read the full ANCA release: https://lnkd.in/epYC9CvR #SanctionAzerbaijan #JusticeForArmenianPOWs #ANCAdvocacy

BREAKING: Rep. Brad Sherman has introduced an amendment to H.R. 5299 blocking U.S. International Development Finance Corporation support for Turkey and Azerbaijan — until Turkey lifts its blockade of Armenia and Azerbaijan releases all Armenian POWs. 🇺🇸🇦🇲 Speaking at the ANCA's Accountability | 2025 Capitol Hill commemoration of the Artsakh Genocide, Rep. Sherman explained: “My amendment will say not one more penny to Turkey while they continue to blockade Armenia — and not one penny to Azerbaijan until the hostages are released.” Sherman has a second amendment - this one to the State Department Authorization Act - which would remove presidential waiver authority of Section 907 - effectively blocking U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan. The House Foreign Affairs Committee is considering this and several other ANCA-supported amendments - introduced by Rep. Gabe Amo, Rep. Jim Costa, and Rep. Dina Titus - tomorrow 9/17. #ANCAdvocacy | #Accountability2025

The Armenian Legal Center's Siranush Sahakyan teamed up with the ANC Rhode Island in a meeting with Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI) to share the latest updates on Azerbaijan's illegal detention of Armenian prisoners and the sham trials and torture they are subjected to. The ALC and ANCA delegation thanked Rep. Amo for introducing an amendment (#50) to the State Department Authorization bill, calling on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to lead U.S. efforts to release Armenian prisoners of war, protect Armenian cultural and historic sites in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), and facilitate the return of forcibly displaced Armenian refugees to their homes in Artsakh. The House Foreign Affairs Committee will be discussing the measure this week. #ANCAdvocacy #Accountability2025

ANCA Advocacy Days - a collaboration of the ANCA Eastern Region, ANCA Western Region and the ANCA National Headquarters - brings together Armenian Americans from across the U.S. to mobilize Congress to: -- Secure Azerbaijan’s release of Armenian hostages -- Enforce Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act -- Ban all U.S. military aid to the Azerbaijani government -- Impose Magnitsky Sanctions against Azerbaijani officials -- Support the collective, protected, and dignified return of Artsakh Armenians -- Protect Artsakh’s sacred Christian and cultural heritage -- Ensure the security and sovereignty of Armenia Learn more about the ANCA's U.S. House and Senate policy priorities by visiting: U.S. House: https://lnkd.in/e7yR_Jsv U.S. Senate: https://lnkd.in/esjTbBuS #Accountability2025 | #ANCAAdvocacy