Armenian National Committee of America
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Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
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PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 9, 2004
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

HOUSE FOREIGN AID BILL PASSES SECOND HURDLE

— Armenia/Azerbaijan U.S. Military Aid Parity Maintained; Bill
Allocates $65 million in Economic Assistance for Armenia; $5
Million for Nagorno Karabagh

WASHINGTON, DC The House Appropriations Committee today voted on
the Fiscal Year 2005 foreign aid bill, affirming an earlier
decision by the Foreign Operations Subcommittee to maintain parity
in U.S. foreign military financing (FMF) assistance to Armenia and
Azerbaijan, reported the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA).

The Committee, chaired by Florida Republican Bill Young, agreed to
allocate $5 million in military financing assistance to Armenia and
Azerbaijan, respectively, as opposed to President Bush’s earlier
request of $8 million for Azerbaijan and $2 million for Armenia.
The Committee also supported an earmark of $65 million in U.S.
assistance to Armenia, and $5 million for Nagorno Karabagh. By
contrast, the Bush Administration had requested $62 million for
Armenia and had not specified any funding level for Nagorno
Karabagh.

With the adoption of this measure by the Appropriations Committee,
the foreign aid bill will move to the full House for a vote. The
Senate version of the bill will follow a similar path.