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ANCA: House Subcommittee Proposes $67.5 Million for Armenia

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  • ANCA: House Subcommittee Proposes $67.5 Million for Armenia

    Armenian National Committee of America
    888 17th St., NW, Suite 904
    Washington, DC 20006
    Tel: (202) 775-1918
    Fax: (202) 775-5648
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Internet: www.anca.org

    PRESS RELEASE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    June 16, 2005
    Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
    Tel: (202) 775-1918

    HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE PROPOSES $67.5 MILLION FOR ARMENIA;
    UP TO $5 MILLION FOR KARABAGH

    -- MAINTAINS MILITARY AID PARITY BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN

    Washington, DC -- The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign
    Operations today voted to allocate $67.5 million in U.S. aid for
    Armenia for fiscal year 2006, reported the Armenian National
    Committee of America (ANCA). The amount represents a $12.5 million
    increase over President Bush's budget request, but is lower than
    last year's appropriation of $75 million.

    The panel also agreed to maintain parity in U.S. military
    assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan, at the level of $5.75 million
    to each country. The appropriators allotted $5 million in
    humanitarian assistance to Nagorno Karabagh.

    "We want to express our appreciation to Congressman Joe Knollenberg
    for his advocacy within the Subcommittee, to thank Chairman Jim
    Kolbe and Ranking Member Nita Lowey for their leadership, and to
    share our gratitude for the support of Steve Rothman, John Sweeney,
    Mark Kirk, Jesse Jackson, Jr., Carolyn Kilpatrick, Chaka Fattah,
    and our other friends on this vitally important panel," said Aram
    Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA.

    "We were, of course, especially pleased to see that, consistent
    with the President's budget request, the Subcommittee contributed
    to the continued stability of the Caucasus by appropriating aid
    directly to Nagorno Karabagh, and maintaining parity in military
    aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan. We also appreciate the efforts of
    our friends, in the face of overall reductions in aid to the
    region, to increase Armenia's assistance above the level proposed
    by the President, and look forward to action by the Senate - and
    later in conference committee - to bring this figure to at least
    last year's figure of $75 million," added Hamparian.

    On April 18th of this year, Representative George Radanovich (R-CA)
    and Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
    sent a letter to the leadership of the Subcommittee, cosigned by 43
    of their House colleagues, calling for an earmark of at least $75
    million for Armenia; maintaining the President's request for equal
    levels of military aid for Armenia and Azerbaijan; an additional $5
    million in direct aid to Nagorno Karabagh for fiscal year 2006,
    and; keeping in place the Section 907 restriction on aid to
    Azerbaijan.

    The names of the forty-five signatories are as follows: Gary L.
    Ackerman (D-NY), Thomas H. Allen (D-ME), Robert E. Andrews (D-NJ),
    Xavier Beccerra (D-CA), Howard L. Berman (D-CA), Michael Bilirakis
    (R-FL), Eric Cantor (R-VA), Michael E. Capuano (D-CA), Dennis A.
    Cardoza (D-CA), John Conyers Jr. (D-MI), Jim Costa (D-CA), Jerry F.
    Costello (D-IL), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), David Dreier (R-CA), Anna
    G. Eshoo (D-CA), Barney Frank (D-MA), Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Eleanor
    Holmes Norton (D-DC), Rush D. Holt (D-NJ), Michael M. Honda (D-CA),
    Steve Israel (D-NY), Darrell E. Issa (R-CA), James R. Langevin (D-
    RI), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Carolyn
    McCarthy (D-NY), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Michael R. McNulty (D-
    NY), Martin Meehan (D-MA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Grace F.
    Napolitano (D-CA), Devin Nunes (R-CA), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ),
    Collin C. Peterson (D-MN), Linda T. Sanchez (D-CA), Adam B. Schiff
    (D-CA), Joe Schwarz (R-MI), Clay E. Shaw, Jr. (R-FL), John Shimkus
    (R-IL), Mark E. Souder (R-IN), George Radanovich (R-CA), Stephanie
    Tubbs Jones (D-OH), Diane E. Watson (D-CA), Henry Waxman (D-CA),
    and Jerry Weller (R-IL).

    In making the case for increased levels of U.S. assistance to
    Armenia, the ANCA has stressed the following points:

    1) The impact of the dual Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades:

    -- The World Bank estimates that these blockade are costing
    Armenia $720 million a year. Despite U.S. pressure, these
    blockades have remained in place for more than a decade.

    -- Armenia is making tremendous progress toward a modern, market-
    based democracy, but needs continued U.S. help to offset the
    efforts of Turkey and Azerbaijan to strangle its economy by
    blockading its eastern and western borders.

    2) The effectiveness of U.S. foreign aid:

    -- U.S. Ambassador John Evans, in the fall of 2004, stressed that,
    "Since arriving in Armenia, I have been deeply impressed by not
    only the breadth and depth of our assistance programs, but by their
    high quality and the exacting standards of the U.S. Government
    staff and implementing partners who help design, execute and
    evaluate these activities."

    3) Armenia's progress on economic and democratic reforms:

    -- According to the Heritage Foundation's Index of Economic
    Freedom, Armenia is the only former Soviet republic, which is rated
    "mostly free." In fact, Armenia is ranked 42nd overall and the
    closest former Soviet republic is the Ukraine, which is ranked
    88th.

    -- Armenia is one of only 16 countries to have qualified for the
    Millennium Challenge Account and has already submitted its
    application. Armenia is clearly on the right path, and it needs
    United States assistance to continue on this path and withstand the
    devastating impact of the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades.

    #####
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