In a rare show of unity, the Senate unanimously approved the Armenian Protection Act, voting 100-0 to immediately cease military aid to Azerbaijan for two years. The measure, introduced by Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.), was a direct response to the displacement of over 100,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh following a prolonged siege and subsequent accusations of ethnic cleansing. The action aims to enforce conditions on military aid and deter further conflict, especially given past threats by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to resolve border issues with Armenia “by force.”

Domestically, the Democratic party is dealing with significant internal strife directed at Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer following his decision to allow a Republican-crafted continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi fiercely condemned the CR as an “unacceptable” false choice, implicitly criticizing senators who supported it and explicitly saluting House Leader Hakeem Jeffries for his opposition. Democrats like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and political commentator Van Jones described the outrage as a “volcanic eruption,” criticizing Schumer for failing to use legislative leverage and demanding a more aggressive, McConnell-like stance against political adversaries.