A bipartisan group of over 65 U.S. House members sent a letter to House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations Chairwoman Barbara Lee as the panel begins crafting the FY2022 Foreign Aid Bill.
“The United States is uniquely positioned to help Armenia that has been shaken by last year’s war in Artsakh and the resulting uncertainty. Providing significant economic assistance to Armenia will help make its people more secure, bolster its democracy, help sustain economic development, stabilize its civil society, and aid its response to the COVID-19 pandemic and, most urgently, alleviate the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Artsakh,” wrote Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone, Co-Chair Jackie Speier and Vice-Chair Adam Schiff, led the effort. “This investment will strengthen the U.S.-Armenia relationship, help Armenia rebuild, and solidify democracy in the region.”
In the letter they included the following budgetary requests:
— Robust funding to directly aid the Armenian people of Nagorno-Karabakh to recover and rebuild, including urgently needed housing, food security, water and sanitation, medical and refugee assistance, rehabilitation, and infrastructure needs.
— $2 million for Conventional Weapons Destruction programs in Nagorno-Karabakh.
— $100 million for economic, governance, rule of law, and security assistance to Armenia through State Department and USAID accounts.
— The suspension of all U.S. security assistance for Azerbaijan until it has been verified to have ceased all attacks against Armenia and Artsakh.
