Against the 'Gray Wolves' and in Favor of Artsakh: U.S. House of Representatives

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved several amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act concerning the conflict in Artsakh and Turkey's involvement in it. Specifically, one of the amendments, authored by California congressmen Brad Sherman and David Valadao, mandates that the U.S. Secretary of State must provide a report to the House Foreign Affairs Committee within 180 days, detailing U.S. aid to Artsakh, including humanitarian assistance and support for economic development. The State Department must present descriptions of programs and their budgets, as well as outcomes achieved.

Additionally, the State Department is required to inform about future programs the U.S. government plans to implement. Earlier, the U.S. government stated its intention to support the 74,000 residents of Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia who were affected by the conflict. In November 2020, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the U.S. government would allocate $5 million as humanitarian aid to Artsakh. New Secretary of State Antony Blinken, upon taking office in January 2021, declared his commitment to "working with Congress, USAID, and international organizations to ensure humanitarian assistance for the Nagorno-Karabakh region."

During the active phase of the conflict, from the early 2000s, the U.S. government had been implementing aid programs in Artsakh, allocating funds for housing construction, water pipeline construction, and demining.

Another approved amendment, authored by Nevada congresswoman Dina Titus, requires the Secretary of State to provide detailed information about the Turkish 'Gray Wolves' organization within the same 180-day timeframe. Specifically, the State Department must report instances where the activities of this organization contradicted U.S., its allies', and partners' national interests. The State Department must also provide an analysis of whether this organization is considered a terrorist group (extreme nationalist). If not, the State Department must thoroughly justify its position.

Finally, the House has accepted a proposal from New Jersey congressman Frank Pallone, stating that within 120 days, the U.S. Secretary of Defense must report to Congressional committees on which foreign armed forces participated in U.S. assistance programs from 2017 to 2021, especially in cases where those countries violated internationally recognized human rights.