ANCA Seeks $5 Million in Aid to NKR, Zero Military Aid to Azerbaijan as House Appropriations Subcommittee Casts Initial Vote on FY2016 Foreign Aid Bill
WASHINGTON—Armenian-American foreign aid priorities will be among a broad range of U.S. assistance issues addressed this week by members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State-Foreign Operations, as they start drafting their Fiscal Year 2016 (FY2016) bill, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
The subcommittee’s consideration of the FY2016 foreign aid bill will be webcast live on Wed., June 3 at 10:30 a.m. EST and can be viewed at http://appropriations.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=394225.
As in the past, the specific text of the measure will not be made available until after the subcommittee’s consideration. The ANCA will be sharing details on issues of concern to Armenian Americans as they become available.
In the run up to this Wednesday’s vote, the ANCA is urging friends of Armenia across America to reach out to their legislators by visiting www.anca.org/aid and supporting these aid priorities:
1) at least $5 million in U.S. developmental aid to Nagorno-Karabagh;
2) zero-out U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan until it agrees with OSCE Minsk Group calls to pull back its snipers, ceases its aggression, renounces violence, and commits to a purely peaceful resolution of regional conflicts;
3) at least $40 million in U.S. economic assistance to Armenia;
4) a special focus on addressing the difficulties in providing humanitarian and resettlement aid to Armenian, Assyrian, and other at-risk minorities in Syria, as well as targeted aid to help Armenia settle thousands fleeing from Syria;
5) at least 10 percent of U.S. assistance to Georgia to be used for job-creation programs in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region of that country; and
6) language strengthening Section 907 restrictions on U.S. aid to Azerbaijan.
“Please join with us in asking Congress to send a strong message of support for Artsakh, by increasing direct aid to Nagorno-Karabagh and Armenia, zeroing-out military aid to Azerbaijan, prioritizing assistance to Javakhk, and supporting our at-risk communities in the Middle East,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “U.S. foreign aid policy represents a vital tool both for promoting regional peace and also for complementing U.S. efforts—such as the recently signed U.S.-Armenia Trade and Investment Framework Agreement or the long overdue new U.S.-Armenia Double Tax Treaty—to expand U.S.-Armenia economic cooperation.”
Earlier this year, the ANCA’s Kate Nahapetian testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee, outlining the Armenian-American community’s foreign aid priorities. The video of Nahapetian’s presentation is below.
In February, the Obama-Biden Administration released its FY2016 budget that calls for yet another reduction in U.S. economic assistance to both Armenia and Azerbaijan, while maintaining parity in appropriated military aid to these two countries.
The president’s proposal of $18,360,000 in Economic Support Funds for Armenia in FY2016 would, if approved by Congress, represent a record low in such aid since Armenia’s independence. The White House’s proposal for Armenia is over $2 million less than FY2014’s actual economic aid allocation, and less than half of the $40 million requested in a Congressional Armenian Caucus letter and ANCA Congressional testimony submitted last year.
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It is always good to hear others helping Armenia and Karabakh, that is nice thing to have. But the more fundamental, long-term way of helping Armenia and Karabakh is when we rely on our own efforts to do that.
Since Armenia is steadily turning away from the West and moving itself steadily into the Russian orbit, why aren’t the aid requests being made to Russia?
Armenia needs trade and not more aid. When will we come to know that aid teaches laziness and begging. Armenians should get all together average people with one force and one entity invest in our county’s future. Its been twenty five year and it is too late to invest individually to save our country . It has to be en mass in particular from the vast Diaspora Armenians where we have more than four million people. As AMB above said “we have to rely on our own efforts” we have depended on others in the past for our survival and we all know what happened.
PLEASE give us the names and contact info for members of Congress who will have influence on these aid issues.
IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT that as many people as possible, Armenians and non-Armenians alike STAND UP , contribute and take action to insure that Armenia and Artsahk are protected from Azei_-Turkish aggression and that Armenia be given aid to deal with the refugee crisis which has brought so many Armenians and Assyrians from Iraq and now Syria to its doorstep.
A 20 million dollar funding level from the US government is an INSULT when you consider the staggering amounts in the billions that this country gives away to other countries which do NOT face the constant threats to its populace that Armenia and Artsakh do.
LET’s GET OFF OUR BUTTS; Give us the Congressional contact info, build lasting coalitions and give the Armenians the aid they need to defend themselves!!!!
Compatriots who are complaining about US aid to RoA and NKR are apparently missing the main purpose of ANCA’s efforts.
The cash is certainly being put to good use in RoA and NKR, but the main purpose of ANCA’s efforts is more nuanced.
ANCA leaders understand: they weren’t born yesterday and know what they are doing.
Think of it in terms of geopolitical security, or “the best defense is a vigorous offense”.
Israel has a GDP of about $270 Billion.
Armenia is about $24 Billion.
Israel receives about $10 Billion @ year in various forms of aid and cash transfers from US taxpayers (…not including private aid).
Yet neither Israeli leaders nor Jewish-American organizations are shy about requesting more US aid every year.
Why do you think that is ?
Have Israelis become lazy or beggars ? On the contrary.
Has Israeli trade/GDP suffered as a result ? On the contrary.
Nobody in either RoA or NKR is going to become lazy or a beggar because of US aid: it’s an insult to people there and to Armenian national character.
And we _have_ been largely relying on our own efforts since Independence: both RoA and NKR were largely rebuilt/built by Armenians’ money and Armenians’ efforts.
No country is sending $ billions@year to either RoA or NKR.
Citizens of RoA, people of NKR, Armenian-American diaspora, French-Armenian diaspora, Russian-Armenian diaspora, other worldwide Armenian diasporas….it’s been pretty much close to 90%-95% Armenian show.
Ex: the modern Yerevan airport was funded by an Armenian-Argentine businessman; the beautiful new international college in Dilijan was financed by a Russian-Armenian businessman; a new, ultramodern hospital in Stepanakert opened a couple of years ago was financed by a Russian-Armenian businessman. Over the years Armenia Fund has built crucial roads, schools, kindergartens, hospitals, water distribution networks, etc in both NKR and RoA.
The Viasphere Technopark in Yerevan was conceived and established by Armenian-Americans: it facilitates and supports high-tech startups and companies in Armenia.
There are lots, and lots, and lots of such examples.
Too many to list here.
If you (generic you) convince yourself Armenians are lazy beggars, that’s all you will always see.
I _know_ we are a Great people.
For every one beggar, there are 1000s and 1000s of builders, creators, achievers,…
That’s what I will always see.