Wednesday, April 5 2017 11:58

ArmInfo.  The US Congress Armenian National Committee support group called key appropriators of the House of Representatives to support Armenia with USD 40 mln and Artsakh with USD 8 mln  donation in 2018 fiscal yea According to the  information shared with ArmInfo by the press office of  Armenian  National Committee of America, The Congressional Armenian Caucus has  called on key U.S. House appropriators to prioritize Fiscal Year 2018  (FY18) foreign aid policies "strengthening Armenia's independence,  promoting peace in Nagorno Karabakh, and supporting Armenia as a  regional safe haven for at- risk Middle East refugees," reported the  Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

In a bipartisan letter, addressed to Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) and  Nita Lowey, the Chairman and Ranking Democrat, respectively, of the  House Appropriations Subcommittee on State- Foreign Operations, more  than two dozen U.S. Representative underscored the importance of "the  U.S.-Armenia partnership, a relationship founded upon a shared  commitment to faith, freedom, and democratic values." They stressed  that "U.S. assistance has empowered progress in the areas of  democracy, rule of law, freedom of expression, and free enterprise."

Among the specific priorities advanced by the Caucus were: the U.S.  support for Armenia as a regional safe haven for Middle East  refugees, in the form of a $40 million appropriation to support  transitional programs, including short-term housing/rental assistance  and social and economic integration initiatives, the renewed focus on  aid to Artsakh, with an appropriation of at least $8 million for  de-mining, rehabilitation programs (such as the Lady Cox  Rehabilitation Center), and water supply systems, focused effort to  check Azerbaijani aggression, through the appropriation of at least  $20 million to support implementation of the Royce-Engel peace  proposals, the suspension of U.S. military aid to Baku, and the  strengthening of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act. and   appropriation of at least $40 million in economic aid to Armenia, and  no less than $11 million in military aid, with a focus on advancing  U.S.-Armenia defense cooperation goals, promoting NATO  interoperability, and supporting increased Armenia's participation in  global peacekeeping operations.

"Armenia - a genocide survivor state, landlocked and illegally  blockaded by Turkey and Azerbaijan - has stepped forward, despite its  own economic hardships, as a regional safe haven for Middle East  refugees," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We thank our  friends in the leadership of the Armenian Caucus for seeking at least  $40 million in FY18 funding to help transition thousands of at-risk  families to a secure, stable life in Armenia. More broadly, we would  like to express our appreciation to all the signatories for  supporting increased aid to Artsakh and each of the other foreign aid  priorities in their letter to Chairman Rogers and Ranking Democrat  Lowey." To remind, on  March 16th, Representatives Schiff and Pallone  delivered powerful testimony before the  House Appropriations  Subcommittee on State-Foreign Operations, echoing the priorities  shared in the Congressional Armenian Caucus letter.