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ANCA: House Panel Maintains Military Aid Parity; Approves $62 Mil.

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  • ANCA: House Panel Maintains Military Aid Parity; Approves $62 Mil.

    Armenian National Committee of America
    1711 N Street NW
    Washington, DC 20036
    Tel: (202) 775-1918
    Fax: (202) 775-5648
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Internet: www.anca.org

    PRESS RELEASE
    May 19, 2006
    Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
    Tel: (202) 775-1918

    HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE MAINTAINS MILITARY AID PARITY
    BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN

    -- Proposes $62 million for Armenia; Up to $5 million for Karabagh

    Washington, DC - Early reports from Capitol Hill sources indicate
    that the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations
    today approved by voice vote to maintain military assistance parity
    between Armenia and Azerbaijan, despite the Bush Administration's
    request to break the parity agreement and provide 40% more in
    assistance to Azerbaijan, reported the Armenian National Committee
    of America (ANCA.)

    Sources on Capitol Hill reported that the key foreign aid panel
    also allocated $62 million in U.S. aid for Armenia and $5 million
    for Nagorno Karabagh for fiscal year (FY) 2007. The amount
    represents a $12 million increase over President Bush's FY 2007
    budget request, but is lower than last year's appropriation of $75
    million. The Subcommittee also rejected efforts by Azerbaijan's
    lobbyists to weaken Section 907 restrictions on U.S. assistance to
    Azerbaijan, due to its ongoing blockades of Armenia and Nagorno
    Karabagh.

    Overall, the Subcommittee approved $21.3 billion in foreign aid
    spending, an increase of $600 million over last year's budget.

    "We commend the members of the Foreign Operations Subcommittee for
    contributing to the continued stability of the Caucasus by
    maintaining parity in military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan and
    fighting back attempts to further weaken Section 907," stated Aram
    Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. "We also appreciate the
    efforts of our friends to increase Armenia's assistance above the
    level proposed by the President and to provide $5 million in aid to
    Nagorno Karabagh. We look forward to action by the Senate - and
    later in conference committee - to bring assistance to Armenia to
    at least last year's figure of $75 million," added Hamparian.

    Military assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan will include
    $3.5million in foreign military finance (FMF) and $790,000 in
    International Military and Education Training (IMET). Economic
    assistance to Azerbaijan was set at $29 million, $1 million more
    than the Administration's budget request.

    "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 John Sweeney, Steve Rothman,
    Mark Kirk, and Chaka Fattah., and our other friends on this vitally
    important panel," said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the
    ANCA.

    On March 16th 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
    48of their House colleagues, calling for an earmark of at least
    $75million for Armenia; maintaining equal levels of military aid
    for Armenia and Azerbaijan; an additional $5 million in direct aid
    to Nagorno Karabagh for FY 2007, and; keeping in place the Section
    907 restriction on aid to Azerbaijan.

    The names of the fifty signatories are as follows: Tom Allen (D-
    ME), Robert Andrews (D-NJ), Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Howard Berman(D-
    CA), Michael Bilirakis (R-FL), Eric Cantor (R-VA), Lois Capps(D-
    CA), Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), John Conyers (D-MI), Jim Costa (D-CA),
    Joseph Crowley (D-NY), William Delahunt (D-MA), David Dreier(R-CA),
    Eliot Engel (D-NY), Mike Ferguson (R-NJ), Barney Frank (D-MA),
    Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Michael Honda (D-CA),Dale
    Kildee (D-MI), James Langevin (D-RI), Sander Levin (D-MI),Frank
    LoBiondo (R-NJ), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY),
    Edward Markey (D-MA), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Thaddeus McCotter(R-MI),
    James McGovern (D-MA), John McHugh (R-NY), Michael McNulty(D-NY),
    Martin Meehan (D-MA), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Frank Pallone (D-
    NJ), Donald Payne (D-NJ), Collin Peterson (D-MN), George Radanovich
    (R-CA), Bobby Rush (D-IL), H. James Saxton (R-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-
    CA), Joe Schwarz (R-MI), Christopher Shays (R-CT), Brad Sherman (D-
    CA), Rob Simmons (R-CT), Mark Souder (R-IN), Edolphus Towns (D-NY),
    Diane Watson (D-CA), Henry Waxman (D-CA), Anthony Weiner (D-NY) and
    Lynn Woolsey (D-CA).
    From: Baghdasarian
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