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Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email [email protected]
Internet www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
June 6, 2007
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
HOUSE FOREIGN AID PANEL PROPOSES $68 MILLION FOR ARMENIA;
$6 MILLION IN DIRECT AID TO NAGORNO KARABAGH
-- Key Subcommittee Maintains Military Aid
Parity Between Armenia and Azerbaijan
WASHINGTON, DC- The U.S. House Appropriations subcommittee on
foreign aid voted yesterday to allocate $68 million in fiscal year
(FY) 2008 assistance to Armenia, a 48.5% increase over the
President's budget request earlier this year, but less than the $75
million sought by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
in testimony submitted to the panel this March.
The State-Foreign Operations Subcommittee also approved $6 million
in direct assistance to Nagorno Karabagh, double the amount
allocated in FY2007. The panel did not, as the ANCA had
recommended, require the expansion of the Nagorno Karabagh aid
program from solely humanitarian to developmental assistance.
Despite the Bush Administration's proposal to break military
assistance parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the panel, led by
Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Ranking Member Frank Wolf (R-VA),
voted to allocate $3 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF)
assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan and an additional $300,000 in
International Military and Education Training (IMET). The foreign
aid bill does not directly set the level of funding for the ongoing
"Caspian Guard Program" in Azerbaijan. In previous testimony, the
ANCA has argued that, "each dollar in U.S. military assistance -
either specifically appropriated or provided at the discretion of
the Administration - should be matched with a dollar of military
aid to Armenia."
The Subcommittee also rejected efforts by Azerbaijan's lobbyists to
weaken the Section 907 restriction on U.S. assistance to
Azerbaijan, which was put in place more 15 years ago as a response
to Baku's ongoing blockades of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.
Economic assistance to Azerbaijan was set at $18 million.
"We value the leadership of Chairwoman Lowey, Ranking Member Wolf,
and the key members of the panel - Steve Rothman, Joe Knollenberg,
Adam Schiff, Jesse Jackson, Mark Kirk, and others - for maintaining
military aid parity, elevating aid to Armenia above the President's
request, and for approving substantial increase in direct
assistance to Nagorno Karabagh," said ANCA Executive Director Aram
Hamparian. "We look forward to working with our friends on Capitol
Hill, both in the Senate and during the conference committee
process, to bring Armenia's aid level at least to last year's level
of $75 million, and to ensure full funding of our request for $10
million in humanitarian and development aid to Nagorno Karabagh.
We will work, as well, to secure Congressional support for the
growth of the California-Armenia Trade Office, which has already
proven its value in promoting increased commercial ties between
Armenia and the Golden State."
The full House Appropriations Committee is set to consider the
foreign aid bill next week.
In testimony submitted to the Foreign Operations Subcomittee on
March 29th, ANCA Government Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian
touched upon a number of key issues, including:
1) Restoring parity in all military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan
2) Increasing economic Assistance to Armenia to at least $75
million.
3) Expanding U.S. Assistance to Nagorno Karabagh to at least $10
million in both humanitarian and development aid.
4) Preserving Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act.
5) Funding the California-Armenia Trade Office.
The full text of the ANCA's testimony is available at:
http://www.anca.org/assets/pdf/testimony/2007. pdf
In a March 16th letter to Chairwoman Lowey, Congressional Armenian
Caucus Co-Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Rep. George Radanovich
(R-CA) were joined by some 30 Members of Congress in urging $75
million in assistance to Armenia, $10 million in assistance to
Nagorno Karabagh and calling for maintaining military aid parity to
Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Members of Congress joining Representatives Pallone and Radanovich
in cosigning the letter to Chairwoman Lowey were: Joe Baca (D-CA),
Howard Berman (D-CA), Mike Capuano (D-MA), John Conyers (D-MI), Jim
Costa (D-CA), Joe Crowley (D-NY), William Delahunt (D-MA), Chaka
Fattah (D-PA), Barney Frank (D-MA), Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Rush Holt
(D-NJ), James Langevin (D-RI), Sander Levin (D-MI), Dan Lipinski
(D-IL), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Stephen Lynch
(D-MA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Doris Matsui (D-CA), James McGovern
(D-MA), Michael McNulty (D-NY), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Collin
Peterson (D-MN), Mike Rogers (R-MI), Bobby Rush (D-IL), Jim Saxton
(R-NJ), Diane Watson (D-CA), Henry Waxman (D-CA), and Anthony
Weiner (D-NY).
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email [email protected]
Internet www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
June 6, 2007
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
HOUSE FOREIGN AID PANEL PROPOSES $68 MILLION FOR ARMENIA;
$6 MILLION IN DIRECT AID TO NAGORNO KARABAGH
-- Key Subcommittee Maintains Military Aid
Parity Between Armenia and Azerbaijan
WASHINGTON, DC- The U.S. House Appropriations subcommittee on
foreign aid voted yesterday to allocate $68 million in fiscal year
(FY) 2008 assistance to Armenia, a 48.5% increase over the
President's budget request earlier this year, but less than the $75
million sought by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
in testimony submitted to the panel this March.
The State-Foreign Operations Subcommittee also approved $6 million
in direct assistance to Nagorno Karabagh, double the amount
allocated in FY2007. The panel did not, as the ANCA had
recommended, require the expansion of the Nagorno Karabagh aid
program from solely humanitarian to developmental assistance.
Despite the Bush Administration's proposal to break military
assistance parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the panel, led by
Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Ranking Member Frank Wolf (R-VA),
voted to allocate $3 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF)
assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan and an additional $300,000 in
International Military and Education Training (IMET). The foreign
aid bill does not directly set the level of funding for the ongoing
"Caspian Guard Program" in Azerbaijan. In previous testimony, the
ANCA has argued that, "each dollar in U.S. military assistance -
either specifically appropriated or provided at the discretion of
the Administration - should be matched with a dollar of military
aid to Armenia."
The Subcommittee also rejected efforts by Azerbaijan's lobbyists to
weaken the Section 907 restriction on U.S. assistance to
Azerbaijan, which was put in place more 15 years ago as a response
to Baku's ongoing blockades of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.
Economic assistance to Azerbaijan was set at $18 million.
"We value the leadership of Chairwoman Lowey, Ranking Member Wolf,
and the key members of the panel - Steve Rothman, Joe Knollenberg,
Adam Schiff, Jesse Jackson, Mark Kirk, and others - for maintaining
military aid parity, elevating aid to Armenia above the President's
request, and for approving substantial increase in direct
assistance to Nagorno Karabagh," said ANCA Executive Director Aram
Hamparian. "We look forward to working with our friends on Capitol
Hill, both in the Senate and during the conference committee
process, to bring Armenia's aid level at least to last year's level
of $75 million, and to ensure full funding of our request for $10
million in humanitarian and development aid to Nagorno Karabagh.
We will work, as well, to secure Congressional support for the
growth of the California-Armenia Trade Office, which has already
proven its value in promoting increased commercial ties between
Armenia and the Golden State."
The full House Appropriations Committee is set to consider the
foreign aid bill next week.
In testimony submitted to the Foreign Operations Subcomittee on
March 29th, ANCA Government Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian
touched upon a number of key issues, including:
1) Restoring parity in all military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan
2) Increasing economic Assistance to Armenia to at least $75
million.
3) Expanding U.S. Assistance to Nagorno Karabagh to at least $10
million in both humanitarian and development aid.
4) Preserving Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act.
5) Funding the California-Armenia Trade Office.
The full text of the ANCA's testimony is available at:
http://www.anca.org/assets/pdf/testimony/2007. pdf
In a March 16th letter to Chairwoman Lowey, Congressional Armenian
Caucus Co-Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Rep. George Radanovich
(R-CA) were joined by some 30 Members of Congress in urging $75
million in assistance to Armenia, $10 million in assistance to
Nagorno Karabagh and calling for maintaining military aid parity to
Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Members of Congress joining Representatives Pallone and Radanovich
in cosigning the letter to Chairwoman Lowey were: Joe Baca (D-CA),
Howard Berman (D-CA), Mike Capuano (D-MA), John Conyers (D-MI), Jim
Costa (D-CA), Joe Crowley (D-NY), William Delahunt (D-MA), Chaka
Fattah (D-PA), Barney Frank (D-MA), Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Rush Holt
(D-NJ), James Langevin (D-RI), Sander Levin (D-MI), Dan Lipinski
(D-IL), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Stephen Lynch
(D-MA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Doris Matsui (D-CA), James McGovern
(D-MA), Michael McNulty (D-NY), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Collin
Peterson (D-MN), Mike Rogers (R-MI), Bobby Rush (D-IL), Jim Saxton
(R-NJ), Diane Watson (D-CA), Henry Waxman (D-CA), and Anthony
Weiner (D-NY).