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FOREIGN AID PANEL PROPOSES MORE THAN DOUBLING AID TO KARABAKH
Armenian Weekly
May 16, 2012
WASHINGTON-The U.S. House panel responsible for foreign aid this week
adopted a number of provisions promoting U.S. interests and American
values in the Caucasus, proposing sharply increasing aid to Nagorno
Karabakh from $2 to $5 million and rejecting the Obama Administration's
proposed $7.2 million cut in aid to Armenia, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on State-Foreign Operations, led
by Chairwoman Kay Granger (R-Texas) and Ranking Democrat Nita Lowey
(D-N.Y.), also maintained military aid parity between Armenia and
Azerbaijan, and called upon the Administration to formulate a strategy
for targeted aid to the Armenian-populated Javakhk region of Georgia.
These provisions were included in the Committee's Fiscal Year 2013
version of the foreign aid bill, which is set to be voted on tomorrow
by the full House Appropriations Committee.
"Armenian Americans from California and across America thank
Congressman Adam Schiff-who aggressively spearheaded the adoption of
these vital foreign aid priorities-for his principled, pro-active,
and persistent leadership," said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director
of the ANCA. "We would also like to express our warm appreciation
to our great friend and champion Congressman Steve Rothman, as
well as to Ranking Member Nita Lowey, Congressmen Frank Wolf and
Jesse Jackson, and, of course, to the leader of the Subcommittee,
Chairwoman Kay Granger. The aid levels proposed for both Armenia
and Nagorno Karabakh are particularly meaningful in the context of
overall reductions in foreign aid spending," said Aram Hamparian,
Executive Director of the ANCA. The key provisions of concern to
Armenian Americans in this measure include:
-Nagorno Karabakh: Against the backdrop of multi-billion dollar cuts
to overall foreign aid spending, the panel proposed more than doubling
aid to Nagorno Karabakh, from the traditional expenditure level over
the past several years of $2 million to an FY13 level of $5 million,
expliciting expanding the mandate of this assistance program to
include both humanitarian and development assistance.
-Armenia: The Subcommittee also set aid to Armenia at no less than
$40 million, rejecting the Obama Administration's proposal to reduce
FY13 economic aid to Armenia to $32.5 million, roughly $7.5 million
less than the $40 million appropriated by Congress for FY12.
-Javakhk: In a move that underscored the panel's interest in the
welfare of the Armenian-populated Javakhk region of Georgia, they
directed "the Coordinator of United States Assistance to Europe and
Eurasia at the Department of State, in consultation with the Chief
Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, to report
to the Committees on Appropriations describing the effects of United
States assistance from fiscal years 2005-2012 of programs conducted
in Samstskhe-Javakheti and a strategy for future development of
this region."
-Military Aid Parity: The Subcommittee maintained parity in Foreign
Military Financing ($2.7 million) and International Military Education
and Training ($600,000) between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Earlier this year, in an intiative supported by the ANCA, a bipartisan
group of legislators, led by Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Frank Pallone
(D-N.J.), sent a letter to Reps. Granger and Lowey making the case
for supporting "the U.S.-Armenia strategic relationship through
economic development and security assistance." The letter called
for at least $5 million in U.S. aid to Nagorno Karabakh, increased
aid to Armenia, targeted assistance to Javakhk, and military aid
parity, among other priorities. For a copy of the letter, visit:
http://www.anca.org/assets/pdf/misc/FY13_appropriations_priorities.pdf
The Senate Appropriations Committee may consider the foreign aid bill
as early as next week.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Armenian Weekly
May 16, 2012
WASHINGTON-The U.S. House panel responsible for foreign aid this week
adopted a number of provisions promoting U.S. interests and American
values in the Caucasus, proposing sharply increasing aid to Nagorno
Karabakh from $2 to $5 million and rejecting the Obama Administration's
proposed $7.2 million cut in aid to Armenia, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on State-Foreign Operations, led
by Chairwoman Kay Granger (R-Texas) and Ranking Democrat Nita Lowey
(D-N.Y.), also maintained military aid parity between Armenia and
Azerbaijan, and called upon the Administration to formulate a strategy
for targeted aid to the Armenian-populated Javakhk region of Georgia.
These provisions were included in the Committee's Fiscal Year 2013
version of the foreign aid bill, which is set to be voted on tomorrow
by the full House Appropriations Committee.
"Armenian Americans from California and across America thank
Congressman Adam Schiff-who aggressively spearheaded the adoption of
these vital foreign aid priorities-for his principled, pro-active,
and persistent leadership," said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director
of the ANCA. "We would also like to express our warm appreciation
to our great friend and champion Congressman Steve Rothman, as
well as to Ranking Member Nita Lowey, Congressmen Frank Wolf and
Jesse Jackson, and, of course, to the leader of the Subcommittee,
Chairwoman Kay Granger. The aid levels proposed for both Armenia
and Nagorno Karabakh are particularly meaningful in the context of
overall reductions in foreign aid spending," said Aram Hamparian,
Executive Director of the ANCA. The key provisions of concern to
Armenian Americans in this measure include:
-Nagorno Karabakh: Against the backdrop of multi-billion dollar cuts
to overall foreign aid spending, the panel proposed more than doubling
aid to Nagorno Karabakh, from the traditional expenditure level over
the past several years of $2 million to an FY13 level of $5 million,
expliciting expanding the mandate of this assistance program to
include both humanitarian and development assistance.
-Armenia: The Subcommittee also set aid to Armenia at no less than
$40 million, rejecting the Obama Administration's proposal to reduce
FY13 economic aid to Armenia to $32.5 million, roughly $7.5 million
less than the $40 million appropriated by Congress for FY12.
-Javakhk: In a move that underscored the panel's interest in the
welfare of the Armenian-populated Javakhk region of Georgia, they
directed "the Coordinator of United States Assistance to Europe and
Eurasia at the Department of State, in consultation with the Chief
Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, to report
to the Committees on Appropriations describing the effects of United
States assistance from fiscal years 2005-2012 of programs conducted
in Samstskhe-Javakheti and a strategy for future development of
this region."
-Military Aid Parity: The Subcommittee maintained parity in Foreign
Military Financing ($2.7 million) and International Military Education
and Training ($600,000) between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Earlier this year, in an intiative supported by the ANCA, a bipartisan
group of legislators, led by Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Frank Pallone
(D-N.J.), sent a letter to Reps. Granger and Lowey making the case
for supporting "the U.S.-Armenia strategic relationship through
economic development and security assistance." The letter called
for at least $5 million in U.S. aid to Nagorno Karabakh, increased
aid to Armenia, targeted assistance to Javakhk, and military aid
parity, among other priorities. For a copy of the letter, visit:
http://www.anca.org/assets/pdf/misc/FY13_appropriations_priorities.pdf
The Senate Appropriations Committee may consider the foreign aid bill
as early as next week.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress