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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.
#####
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.
#####