The US House Appropriations Committee approved 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, reported the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly). 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."
To note, 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. 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.