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HOUSE & SENATE APPROPRIATORS ADOPT U.S. FUNDING TO ARMENIA & THE REGION, MAINTAIN SECTION 907 OF THE FREEDOM SUPPORT ACT
By MassisPost
Updated: June 24, 2014
WASHINGTON, DC - The US House Appropriations Committee approved on
Tuesday its Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 State, Foreign Operations, and
Related Programs (SFOPS) Appropriations Bill, which covers U.S.
economic, humanitarian, and military assistance to the South Caucasus.
Specific funding levels to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Nagorno
Karabakh were not delineated in the bill.
The House bill was similar to the Senate version, which was approved
last week. Both bills maintained Section 907 of the Freedom Support
Act, restating the six customary exemptions for humanitarian and
other assistance to Azerbaijan. Section 907 was enacted in 1992 and
requires the Government of Azerbaijan to take "demonstrable steps
to cease all blockades and other offensive uses of force" against
Armenia and Artsakh.
However, the Senate report language, unlike the House, specifically
highlighted funding to Nagorno Karabakh as follows: "The Committee
recommends assistance for victims of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
in amounts consistent with prior years, and for ongoing needs related
to the conflict."
Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL), who serves on the Senate Appropriations
Committee, told the Assembly that "continued assistance for the people
of Nagorno-Karabakh remains an important priority." Commenting on
the House bill, Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), who sits on the House
Appropriations Committee, stated, "I am disappointed that we could not
reach agreement on language underscoring the need for humanitarian
assistance in Nagorno Karabakh. We must continue to fight for this
assistance as the bill moves through the legislative process to ensure
the best possible outcome for our allies Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
Given the bellicose language and attacks coming from Azerbaijan
on a daily basis, this aid is absolutely critical for the freedom,
prosperity and self-determination of those in the region," Schiff
told the Armenian Assembly.
The House and Senate FY 2015 SFOPS bills each totaled approximately $48
billion, which is some $700 million below the enacted FY 2014 level,
and roughly $280 million less than the President's FY 2015 request.
The Administration's budget calls for $1.7 million in Foreign
Military Financing (FMF) and $600,000 in International Military
Education Training (IMET) for Armenia and Azerbaijan. This amounts
to a reduction of $1 million for FMF from last year's budget request,
however IMET funding is consistent with past years and military parity
is maintained between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
In addition to FMF and IMET assistance, the Administration's FY 2015
budget also recommended that Armenia receive $20.7 million in Economic
Support Funds (compared to the FY 2014 request of $24.7 million), and
$1.7 million in International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement
(compared to the FY 2014 request of $2.8 million). The Administration's
budget also zeroed out global health funding for Armenia. In total,
the FY 2015 budget provides $24.7 million in U.S.
assistance to Armenia, which is a $6.143 million reduction when
compared to the Administration's FY 2014 request of $30.843 million.
After both measures pass their respective chambers, the next step in
the legislative process involves the creation of an Appropriations
conference committee, whose members will work out the differences
between the House and Senate versions of the bill before sending it
to the President for him to sign into law.
http://massispost.com/2014/06/house-senate-appropriators-adopt-u-s-funding-to-armenia-the-region-maintain-section-907-of-the-freedom-support-act/
By MassisPost
Updated: June 24, 2014
WASHINGTON, DC - The US House Appropriations Committee approved on
Tuesday its Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 State, Foreign Operations, and
Related Programs (SFOPS) Appropriations Bill, which covers U.S.
economic, humanitarian, and military assistance to the South Caucasus.
Specific funding levels to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Nagorno
Karabakh were not delineated in the bill.
The House bill was similar to the Senate version, which was approved
last week. Both bills maintained Section 907 of the Freedom Support
Act, restating the six customary exemptions for humanitarian and
other assistance to Azerbaijan. Section 907 was enacted in 1992 and
requires the Government of Azerbaijan to take "demonstrable steps
to cease all blockades and other offensive uses of force" against
Armenia and Artsakh.
However, the Senate report language, unlike the House, specifically
highlighted funding to Nagorno Karabakh as follows: "The Committee
recommends assistance for victims of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
in amounts consistent with prior years, and for ongoing needs related
to the conflict."
Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL), who serves on the Senate Appropriations
Committee, told the Assembly that "continued assistance for the people
of Nagorno-Karabakh remains an important priority." Commenting on
the House bill, Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), who sits on the House
Appropriations Committee, stated, "I am disappointed that we could not
reach agreement on language underscoring the need for humanitarian
assistance in Nagorno Karabakh. We must continue to fight for this
assistance as the bill moves through the legislative process to ensure
the best possible outcome for our allies Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
Given the bellicose language and attacks coming from Azerbaijan
on a daily basis, this aid is absolutely critical for the freedom,
prosperity and self-determination of those in the region," Schiff
told the Armenian Assembly.
The House and Senate FY 2015 SFOPS bills each totaled approximately $48
billion, which is some $700 million below the enacted FY 2014 level,
and roughly $280 million less than the President's FY 2015 request.
The Administration's budget calls for $1.7 million in Foreign
Military Financing (FMF) and $600,000 in International Military
Education Training (IMET) for Armenia and Azerbaijan. This amounts
to a reduction of $1 million for FMF from last year's budget request,
however IMET funding is consistent with past years and military parity
is maintained between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
In addition to FMF and IMET assistance, the Administration's FY 2015
budget also recommended that Armenia receive $20.7 million in Economic
Support Funds (compared to the FY 2014 request of $24.7 million), and
$1.7 million in International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement
(compared to the FY 2014 request of $2.8 million). The Administration's
budget also zeroed out global health funding for Armenia. In total,
the FY 2015 budget provides $24.7 million in U.S.
assistance to Armenia, which is a $6.143 million reduction when
compared to the Administration's FY 2014 request of $30.843 million.
After both measures pass their respective chambers, the next step in
the legislative process involves the creation of an Appropriations
conference committee, whose members will work out the differences
between the House and Senate versions of the bill before sending it
to the President for him to sign into law.
http://massispost.com/2014/06/house-senate-appropriators-adopt-u-s-funding-to-armenia-the-region-maintain-section-907-of-the-freedom-support-act/