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Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
ancawr@anca.org
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PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Contact: Talin Gregorian
Tel: (818) 500-1918
CALIFORNIA-ARMENIA TRADE OFFICE BILL PASSES STATE ASSEMBLY AND SENATE
— Bill Now Awaits the Signature of Governor Schwarzenegger
SACRAMENTO, CA – The International Trade and Investment Office:
Yerevan bill (SB 897), introduced by California State Senator Jack
Scott (D-Pasadena) in February of this year, recently passed in both
the California State Assembly and Senate, announced the Armenian
National Committee of America-Western Region (ANCA-WR). The bill
passed the chambers of the legislature with overwhelming bi-partisan
support, having gained a vote of 77-1 in the Assembly and 32-1 in the
Senate. The bill was enrolled and sent to the desk of Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger on September 8th for his signature.
`Once again through the leadership of Senator Scott and his tireless
staff, Californians and Armenians alike can move forward towards
establishing closer business and trade relations with one another
which will benefit both peoples equally,’ said Steve Dadaian, Chairman
of the ANCA-WR. `We look forward to Governor Schwarzenegger’s approval
of this commonsense measure aimed to allow the State of California to
properly operate its trade office in Armenia.’
For over five years, the ANCA-WR has worked to improve trade relations
between California and Armenia. SB 897 aims to extend the sunset date
for the creation and operation of the California International Trade
and Investment Office in Yerevan, Armenia which was established by
state statue in 2002. The current sunset date for the trade office is
set for January 1, 2006. However, the bill would extend this deadline
to 2008. SB 897 was introduced by Sen. Scott, with principal coauthors
Senators Chuck Poochigian (R-Fresno) and Jackie Speier (D-San Mateo),
Assemblymembers Juan Arambula (D-Fresno) and Dario Frommer
(D-Glendale), as well as coauthors Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto),
and Assemblymembers Greg Aghazarian (R-Stockton) and Carol Liu
(D-Pasadena). Last month, ANCA-WR Government Relations Director Armen
Carapetian delivered testimony in the Capitol to secure passage of SB
897 in key committees and met with Assemblymembers and staff to
galvanize support for the measure.
The ANCA is the largest and most influential Armenian American
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a
network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the United
States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA
actively advances the concerns of the Armenian-American community on a
broad range of issues.