Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
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PRESS RELEASE
November 19, 2004
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
Email: [email protected]
ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY WELCOMES SENATE PASSAGE OF ARMENIA PNTR BILL
President Bush Set to Sign into Law
WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian Assembly of America hailed the vote by the
United States Senate today to extend permanent normal trade relations
(PNTR) to Armenia, ending a two year effort by lawmakers supportive of
Armenian issues to enhance trade and investment between the United
States and Armenia. The legislation was enacted as part of a
comprehensive trade measure, known as the Miscellaneous Trade and
Technical Corrections Bill (MTB.)
PNTR status would remove a nearly 30-year-old provision requiring
Armenia and other countries to periodically obtain presidential approval
for continued access to low tariffs. In so doing, it would signal an
upgrade in Armenia’s status as a trading partner and should lead to
additional trade agreements between the United States and Armenia.
“Well aware that a robust economy is critical to Armenia’s future
development, passage of Armenia PNTR was an instrumental part of the
Assembly’s legislative agenda,” said Armenian Assembly Board of Trustees
Chairman Hirair Hovnanian. “We would like to thank Senate Majority
Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) for his steadfast support of Armenia PNTR and
for allowing Senate consideration of this bill. Additionally, we thank
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) and it’s
Ranking Member Max Baucus (D-MT) for their active involvement and
support as conferees to resolve differences between the House and Senate
versions of the MTB.”
The House of Representatives, for its part, acted in early October to
grant Armenia PNTR as part of the MTB.
In addition to the heavy involvement of the Senators above, Hovnanian
also commended Majority Whip Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senators Paul
Sarbanes (D-MD) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) for introducing the PNTR bill
(S.1557) and thanked the Administration for fully backing its
enactment.
“A key element to congressional action was the Administration’s public
support which was first announced at a pan-Armenian conference held by
the Assembly, AGBU and Eastern and Western Diocese of the Armenian
Church,” said Hovnanian. “Community members were highly appreciative of
this endorsement.”
Board of Directors Chairman Anthony Barsamian saluted the hardworking
activists who played an integral role in the bill’s passage. “The
Assembly commends its nationwide network of grassroots activists and the
Armenian community at large for their efforts in rallying support among
congressional leaders,” said Barsamian. “Without their unwavering
advocacy efforts over the past two years, we would not have achieved
today’s success.”
The Assembly, since January, has been the only Armenian-American
organization working in conjunction with the Ad Hoc Coalition on
Tariffs, a group comprised of industries from almost every state that
stand to benefit from the duty suspensions and other miscellaneous
tariff provisions in the legislation. Last week, the Assembly and the
Coalition successfully encouraged over 65 Senators to sign on to the
Grassley-Baucus letter urging the Senate leadership to take the
necessary procedural steps to ensure that the bill is enacted before the
108th Congress ends.
The next step in the legislative process is for the bill to be enacted
into law by President Bush.
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of
Armenian issues. It is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt membership
organization.
NR#2004-100
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress