Congressman Schiff seeks seizure of Azerbaijani assets to fund  Artsakh revenue recovery

ArmInfo. Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) - the ANCA endorsed candidate for California's U.S. Senate seat - has introduced a bi-partisan bill to seize Azerbaijani assets for transfer to an Artsakh Revenue Recovery Fund that would be established to compensate Armenians forcibly driven from Artsakh for lost revenue resulting from Azerbaijan's genocidal ethnic cleansing.

"Azerbaijan's continued actions against the people of Artsakh have  created a humanitarian disaster and amounted to ethnic cleansing,"  said Rep. Schiff, upon introduction of the measure. "We must ensure  that those responsible are held accountable and that the innocent  victims of Artsakh are compensated for their immense losses. My  legislation will provide a mechanism for justice and financial  restitution for those who have lost everything due to Azerbaijan's  aggression."

"We join with Congressman Schiff in seeking U.S. Presidential  authority to seize Azerbaijani assets and transfer them to an Artsakh  Revenue Recovery Fund - a bold move to secure a measure of justice  for Azerbaijan's crimes against Artsakh and the Armenian nation,"  said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "Our ANCA national  board, regional bodies, and local chapters are proud to have endorsed  Adam Schiff - a longtime champion of our community - in his race for  the U.S. Senate seat from California and encourage Armenian Americans  from across the Golden State to vote and volunteer for his campaign,"  added Hamparian.

"Thank you, Congressman Schiff, for your unwavering commitment to the  Armenian people and causes.  This bill is the embodiment of human  rights, dignity, compassion, fairness, and justice for the people of  Artsakh and their eventual return to their homeland after the ethnic  cleansing of Artsakh carried out by Azerbaijan," said ANCA Burbank  Chair Sarkis Simonian.

The ANCA has issued a nationwide call to action to secure support for  the bill, available at anca.org/recovery.

Joining Rep. Schiff as original cosponsors of the bipartisan measure  are Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and  Representatives Gabe Amo (D-RI), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Jim Costa  (D-CA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Doug LaMalfa  (R-CA), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), James McGovern (D-MA), Grace Meng  (D-NY), Kevin Mullin (D -CA), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes  Norton (D-DC), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Brad  Sherman (D-CA), Dina Titus (D- N.V.), and Lori Trahan (D-MA).

The Artsakh Revenue Recovery Act aims to hold Azerbaijan accountable  by: - Making the Azerbaijani government liable for compensating  ethnically cleansed Armenians.

- Establishing the Artsakh Revenue Recovery Fund to compensate for  lost property and business revenue.  If Azerbaijan refuses, the bill  authorizes the seizure of Azerbaijani sovereign assets in the U.S. to  cover these payments.

Notably, the bill reaffirms the right of return for Artsakh's  Armenians by recognizing their property rights.  Compensation through  asset seizures will not transfer ownership of Armenian property,  ensuring Armenians can reclaim their homes and businesses.

The full text of the measure is available here.

https://anca.org/assets/pdf/091824_Schiff_Artsakh_Revenue_Recovery_text.pdf

In a statement  [https://anca.org/assets/pdf/091824_Schiff_Statement_AzerbaijanAttack.pdf] submitted to  the Congressional Record marking the first anniversary of Azerbaijan's military assault on Artsakh and the  subsequent genocidal forced depopulation of Artsakh's indigenous Armenian population, Rep. Schiff  stated, "Azerbaijan must accept responsibility for the enormous humanitarian crisis that its blockade and  military assault on Artsakh created. It must release the hostages and prisoners and commit to the  preservation of Armenian cultural heritage. It must assure those who have property in Artsakh the ability to  return to their ancestral home and to rebuild their lives and ease the suffering of refugees now. Azerbaijan  must accept the responsibility to compensate lost revenue of those who left Artsakh. This compensation  cannot fully address the disruption to lives. But, it is an important start to address the current suffering of  those who lost so much."