Congress·In Committee·H.R. 6840

Congress would tie U.S. policy steps to Defense certification of Azerbaijan actions toward Armenia

ARMENIA Security Partnership Act

3 months ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

House

Senate

President

Law

Key Points

Congress would require the Defense Department to regularly certify whether Azerbaijan is taking key steps toward Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
The required steps include pulling all forces out of Armenia, releasing Armenian prisoners, stopping hostilities, and allowing ethnic Armenians to return to Nagorno-Karabakh with cultural sites protected.
If the Defense Department cannot certify those steps, it must quickly review U.S. security help for Armenia to spot gaps in Armenia’s ability to defend itself.
The Defense Department would then report to Congress on threats to Armenia, past U.S. support, what Armenia still needs (like equipment and training), and what more the U.S. should do.
If certification fails, Trump would be blocked from using a specific legal waiver related to assistance rules for former Soviet states after a short waiting period.

Foreign PolicyNational Security

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

How this policy affects specific groups of people

Mixed Impacts(1)

Federal Employee

Neutral

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Dec 18, 2025House

Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Dec 18, 2025

Introduced in House

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Within 180 days after the bill becomes law

Defense Department makes the first certification about Azerbaijan’s steps

This is the first checkpoint that could trigger an immediate review of U.S. security assistance for Armenia if the certification can’t be made.

Within 14 days after any required certification is due and not made

If certification cannot be made, Defense Department starts an immediate review of U.S. security assistance for Armenia

This can lead to a public-facing shift in U.S. policy focus and may set up recommendations for more training, equipment, or other support for Armenia.

After the immediate review is completed (timing not set in the bill)

Defense Department submits the report on threats to Armenia and recommended assistance options

Congress gets a menu of concrete options (training, equipment, services) that could later turn into funded programs and real-world action.

14 days after a required certification is due and cannot be made

If certification cannot be made, the President loses the ability to use a specific waiver authority related to assistance for former Soviet Union states

This reduces flexibility to bypass certain limits using that waiver, which can change how U.S. assistance tools are used in the region.

At least once each year after the first certification

Annual certifications continue

The issue stays on a yearly cycle, so Congress and the public can track whether conditions improved and whether U.S. policy should adjust.