ANCA: House Panel Votes Down Crowley Amendment

[wh00t]

Unfortunately, just because you're on the Armenian caucus or even a long-time supporter of Armenian issues doesn't mean you support everything Armenian. The two deciding votes were given by Ken Bentsen (TX Armenian Caucus member) and traditional friend Gary Ackerman.

 

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Armenian National Committee of America

888 17th Street NW Suite 904

Washington, DC 20006

Tel: (202) 775-1918

Fax: (202) 775-5648

E-mail: anca@anca.org

Internet: www.anca.org

 

PRESS RELEASE

October 31, 2001

Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian

Tel: (202) 775-1918

 

HOUSE PANEL DEFEATS AMENDMENT TO BLOCK U.S. FINANCING FOR

BAKU-CEYHAN ENERGY PIPELINES THAT EXCLUDE ARMENIA

 

-- Financial Services Committee Votes 24 to 20

Against Amendment Offered by Rep. Joe Crowley

 

WASHINGTON, DC - A Congressional panel today voted down an

amendment offered by Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-NY) which would

have blocked U.S. taxpayer funding for any proposed Baku-Ceyhan

pipeline routes that avoid Armenia, reported the Armenian National

Committee of America (ANCA).

 

The amendment to the Export-Import Bank reauthorization bill would

have specifically prohibited the Export Import Bank from

guaranteeing, insuring, or extending credit for the planning,

development, construction, or maintenance of a Baku-Ceyhan pipeline

that is routed around Armenia.

 

The Committee, at the urging of its chairman Michael Oxley (R-OH)

and long-time opponent of Armenian American issues Doug Bereuter

(R-NE), rejected the Crowley Amendment. In his comments, Rep.

Bereuter noted that the Crowley Amendment was opposed by the State

Department, Export Import Bank, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American

Jewish Committee, and B'nai B'rith International. Also speaking

against the measure was Armenian Caucus member Ken Bentsen (D-TX).

In a sharp departure from his traditional friendship with Armenian

Americans, Rep. Gary Ackerman, also a Caucus member, opposed the

Crowley Amendment. Joining Rep. Crowley in speaking in favor of

the amendment were Congressman Eric Cantor (R-VA), Barbara Lee (D-

CA), and Carolyn Maloney (D-NY).

 

"We thank Representative Crowley and express our appreciation to

Reps. Cantor, Lee, and Maloney for their leadership on this

amendment and for their efforts to educate their colleagues about

the potential misuse of U.S. taxpayer funds to finance commercially

questionable Caspian energy pipeline routes that would, at the

insistence of Azerbaijan, exclude Armenia," said ANCA Executive

Director Aram Hamparian. "We regret that the Committee voted down

the Crowley Amendment and were particularly troubled that several

of our traditional friends - including Congressmen Ackerman and

Bentsen - chose not to support this important measure. As the vote

total shows, had they chosen to support this amendment they could

have provided the margin of victory for our effort."

 

Congressman Crowley's initiative came in response to repeated

efforts in recent years by Azerbaijan to pressure governments,

financial institutions, and energy firms involved in Caspian energy

projects to reject more cost-effective pipeline routes through

Armenia in favor of routes that exclude Armenia. Earlier this

year, Congressman Crowley joined with Congressional Armenian Caucus

Co-Chairmen Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone, and Rep. John

Sweeney (R-NY) in introducing legislation, H.Con.Res.162,

expressing the growing Congressional opposition to the use of

American tax dollars to fund Caspian energy projects that exclude

Armenia. In addition to this bill the four legislators spearheaded

a Congressional letter sharing their concerns with President Bush.

These actions came in the wake of the release earlier this year of

the recommendations of the National Energy Policy Development

(NEPD) group, which announced its support for the Baku-Ceyhan

pipeline, but failed to identify Armenia as the most cost-

effective, commercially viable, and strategically beneficial route.

 

The roll call vote on the Crowley Amendment is provided below.

 

 

Voting In Favor of the Crowley Amendment (20):

 

Cantor, Eric (R-VA)

Capuano, Michael (D-MA)

Crowley, Joseph (D-NY)

Ferguson, Mike (D-NJ)

Ford, Harold (D-TN)

Frank, Barney (D-MA)

Gutierrez, Luis (D-IL)

Inslee, Jay (D-WA)

Israel, Steve (D-NY)

Lee, Barabara (D-CA)

Lucas, Ken (D-KY)

Maloney, Carolyn (D-NY)

Moore, Dennis (D-KS)

Paul, Ron (R-TX)

Rogers, Mike (R-MI)

Roukema, Marge (R-NJ)

Royce, Edward (R-CA)

Sherman, Brad (D-CA)

Tiberi, Patrick (R-OH)

Waters, Maxine (D-CA)

 

Voting Against the Crowley Amendment (24):

 

Ackerman, Gary (D-NY)

Bentsen, Ken (D-TX)

Bereuter, Doug (R-NE)

Biggert, Judy (R-IL)

Capito, Shelley Moore (R-WV)

Castle, Michael (R-DE)

Gillmor, Paul (R-OH)

Green, Mark (R-WI)

Hart, Melissa (R-PA)

Leach, James (R-IA)

Lucas, Frank (R-OK)

Maloney, James (D-CT)

Manzullo, Donald (R-IL)

Mascara, Frank (D-PA)

Miller, Gary (D-CA)

Ose, Doug (R-CA)

Oxley, Michael (R-OH) - Chairman

Riley, Bob (R-AL)

Ryun, Jim (R-KS)

Sanders, Bernie (I-VT)

Shays, Christopher (R-CT)

Toomey, Patrick (R-PA)

Watt, Melvin (D-NC)

Weldon, Dave (R-FL)

 

Not Voting on the Crowley Amendment (26):

 

Bachus, Spencer (R-AL)

Baker, Richard (R-LA)

Barr, Bob (R-GA)

Carson, Julia (D-IN)

Cox, Christopher (R-CA)

Fossella, Vito (R-NY)

Gonzalez, Charles (D-TX)

Grucci, Felix (R-NY)

Hinojosa, Ruben (D-TX)

Hooley, Darlene (D-OR)

Jones, Walter (R-NC)

Kanjorski, Paul (D-PA)

Kelley, Sue (R-NY)

King, Peter (R- NY)

Lacy Clay, William (D-MO)

LaFalce, John (D-NY)

LaTourette, Steven (R-OH)

Meeks, Gregor (D-NY)

Ney, Robert (R-OH)

Ross, Mike (D-AR)

Sandlin, Max (D-TX)

Schakowsky, Janice (D-IL)

Shadegg, John (R-AZ)

Shows, Ronnie (D-MS)

Tubbs Jones, Stephanie (D-OH)

Velázquez, Nydia (D-NY)