Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) on Thursday introduced a powerful amendment that would end U.S. presidential waiver authority of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, an Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)-backed measure that would effectively block U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan, reported the Armenian National Committee-International.

Senator Menendez also offered a second amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which calls for a joint State Department and Defense Department report on Turkey’s use of U.S. technology in its Bayraktar drones, with a special focus on whether their sale to third countries, like Azerbaijan, violates U.S. export laws. 

A third amendment introduced by California Senator Alex Padilla (D) calls for a joint State Department and Defense Department report, in response to Azerbaijani war crimes during the 2020 Artsakh war, including the use of U.S. technology during the attacks; the use of white phosphorous, cluster bombs, and other prohibited munitions; and the hiring of foreign mercenaries.

Additional Armenian-related amendments to the NDAA may be introduced in the next several days. A Senate vote on the Menendez and Padilla amendments can come as early as next week.