SUPPORT ARMENIAN AMERICAN PROVISIONS

[MosJan]

SUPPORT ARMENIAN AMERICAN PROVISIONS

IN THE FY 2002 FOREIGN AID BILL

 

-- Defend Section 907; Support Aid to Armenia & Karabagh

 

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Status:

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The Congressional subcommittees responsible for U.S. foreign aid

policy are currently drafting the fiscal year 2002 foreign aid

bill.

 

* The House subcommittee will meet as early

as the week of June 25th.

 

* The Senate subcommittee will most likely meet

during the second half of July.

 

The foreign aid bill will include a number of provisions of

critical importance to Armenian Americans, such as:

 

* Preserving Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act

 

* Securing U.S. aid to Armenia (at least $90 million)

 

* Providing increased direct U.S. aid to Nagorno Karabagh

 

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Action:

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1) Visit http://www.anca.org and send a free ANCA WebFax asking

your U.S. Representative to support provisions in the foreign aid

bill that are important to you. (Simply scroll down to "Action

alerts" and click on "Defend Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.")

 

2) Contact the members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on

Foreign Operations (list below) and urge them to support issues of

concern to you (see talking points and sample letter).

 

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MEMBERS OF U.S. HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS

SUBCOMMITTEE ON FOREIGN OPERATIONS

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Chairman:

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Rep: Jim Kolbe (AZ-R)

Staff: Charlie Flickner

Tel: (202) 225-2041

Fax: (202) 225-0378

2000 Grade: "D"

Notes: Position on Armenian issues unclear

 

Ranking Democrat:

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Rep: Nita Lowey (NY-D)

Staff: Beth Tritter

Tel: (202) 225-6506

Fax: (202) 225-0546

2000 Grade: "A+"

Notes: Very friendly on Armenian issues

 

Members:

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Rep: Sonny Callahan (AL-R)

Staff: Nancy Tippins

Tel: (202) 225-4931

Fax: (202) 225-0562

2000 Grade: "C-"

Notes: Former Chairman; fair but largely unsupportive

 

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Rep: Nancy Pelosi (CA-D)

Staff: Jonathan Stivers

Tel: (202) 225-4965

Fax: (202) 225-8259

2000 Grade "A+"

Notes: Former Ranking Democrat; very friendly

 

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Rep: Jerry Lewis (CA-R)

Staff: Alex Heslop

Tel: (202) 225-5861

Fax: (202) 225-6498

2000 Grade: "F"

Notes: Traditionally opposed to Armenian issues

 

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Rep: Jack Kingston (GA-R)

Staff: Adam Sullivan

Tel: (202) 225-5831

Fax: (202) 226-2269

2000 Grade: "D"

Notes: Traditionally opposed to Armenian issues

 

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Rep: Jesse Jackson, Jr. (IL-D)

Staff: Charles Dujon

Tel: (202) 225-0773

Fax: (202) 225-0899

2000 Grade: "C+"

Notes: Traditionally friendly to Armenian issues,

but voted against Section 907 in 1998

 

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Rep: Joe Knollenberg (MI-R)

Staff: Craig Albright

Tel: (202) 225-5802

Fax: (202) 226-2356

2000 Grade: "A+"

Notes: Co-Chairman of Armenian Caucus

 

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Rep: Carolyn Kilpatrick (MI-D)

Staff: Harold Boyd

Tel: (202) 225-2261

Fax: (202) 225-5730

2000 Grade: "C"

Notes: Traditionally friendly to Armenian issues

 

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Rep: Roger Wicker (MS-R)

Staff: Drew Maloney

Tel: (202) 225-4306

Fax: (202) 225-3549

2000 Grade: "D"

Notes: Authored legislation on 1700th anniversary

of Armenia's adoption of Christianity as a

state religion

 

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Rep: John Sununu (NH-R)

Staff: John Richardson

Tel: (202) 225-5456

Fax: (202) 225-5822

2000 Grade: "B+"

Notes: Traditionally friendly to Armenian issues

 

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Rep: Steven Rothman (NJ-D)

Staff: Raffi Hamparian

Tel: (202) 225-5061

Fax: (202) 225-5851

2000 Grade: "A+"

Notes: Strong advocate of Armenian issues

 

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Rep: Henry Bonilla (TX-R)

Staff: Alfredo Rodriguez

Tel: (202) 225-4511

Fax: (202) 225-2237

2000 Grade: "F-"

Notes: Very opposed to Armenian issues

 

Chairman of full Appropriations Committee

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Rep: Bill Young (FL-R)

Staff: David Jolly

Tel: (202) 225-5961

Fax: (202) 225-9764

2000 Grade: "D"

Notes: Traditionally opposed to Armenian issues

(Authorized to sit on this Subcommittee)

 

Ranking Democrat on full Appropriations Committee

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Rep: David Obey (WI-D)

Staff: William Painter

Tel: (202) 225-3365

Fax: (202) 225-3240

2000 Grade: "B-"

Notes: Traditionally friendly to Armenian issues

(Authorized to sit on this Subcommittee)

 

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Sample Phone Script:

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[The phone will be answered by a receptionist. Ask to speak to the

staffer who is responsible for foreign aid appropriations issues.

If he or she is not available, please leave a written or voice-mail

message indicating that you support Armenian American provisions in

the foreign aid bill.]

 

Hello, my name is _________________.

(Give your address if you are a constituent.)

 

I am calling to urge you to maintain Section 907 of the Freedom

Support Act and to support increased levels of aid for Armenia and

Nagorno Karabagh for fiscal year 2002.

 

My family and all Armenian Americans look to you for leadership in

supporting Armenia's independence, ensuring self-determination for

Nagorno Karabagh, lifting the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades,

and building lasting peace in the region.

 

I am following the foreign aid bill and look forward to hearing of

your position on these issues. I can be reached by phone at

__________ or by mail at _____________________________.

 

Thank you for your attention to my concerns.

 

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Sample Letter to Congress:

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The Honorable ________ ______________

U.S. House of Representatives

Washington, DC 20515

 

RE: ARMENIAN AMERICAN ISSUES IN FY 2002 FOREIGN AID BILL

 

 

Dear Representative _________________________:

 

As a constituent and an active member of the Armenian American

community, I am writing to you in your capacity as a member of the

Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations.

 

I respectfully urge you to take a leadership role in advancing

issues strengthening the relationship between the United States and

Armenia. These issues will be considered by your panel when it

marks-up the FY 2002 foreign aid bill, which I understand will be

as early as June 25th.

 

* Increased developmental assistance to Armenia and Karabagh:

Please support a hard-earmark appropriation of at least $90 million

for Armenia and higher levels of direct aid to Karabagh. U.S.

assistance has been deeply appreciated and has helped to facilitate

economic development and alleviate the suffering caused by years of

Turkish and Azerbaijani aggression and blockades.

 

* Maintenance of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act: Please

fight any efforts to weaken or eliminate this common-sense

restriction on direct U.S. aid to the government of Azerbaijan. Our

tax dollars should not reward Azerbaijan's authoritarian regime for

failing to comply with Section 907 and refusing to lift its illegal

blockades of Armenia and Karabagh.

 

* Lifting the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades: Please take

advantage of any opportunity during the mark-up to advocate for

increased U.S. pressure on Turkey and Azerbaijan to lift their

illegal blockades of Armenia and Karabagh.

 

Thank you for your consideration of these issues of concern to my

family and the Armenian American community in your district. For

more information, please contact the Armenian National Committee of

America at (202) 775-1918 or anca@anca.org.

 

Sincerely,

 

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