Free Trade Roa & Usa

[joseph parikian]

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ANCA News Update - ANCA News Update - ANCA News Update

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November 23, 2003

 

1) HOUSE ADOPTS KEY ARMENIA TRADE MEASURE

 

ACTION ALERT: URGE YOUR SENATORS TO ADOPT TRADE MEASURE

FOR ARMENIA

Visit www.anca.org to send a free ANCA WebFax

 

2) TOP SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE DEMOCRAT COSPONSORS

GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

 

3) ANCA-WR ANNUAL BANQUET FEATURES ACHIEVEMENTS ON 2003:

HIGHLIGHTS GRASSROOTS ACTIVISM

 

4) REP. JOSEPH CROWLEY ADDRESSES COMMUNITY ON TRIP TO ARMENIA

 

5) GREATER WASHINGTON ANC CHAPTER SUPPORTS

CENTER FOR THE PREVENTION OF GENOCIDE

 

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1) HOUSE ADOPTS KEY ARMENIA TRADE MEASURE

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-- Permanent Normal Trade Relations Provision, Spearheaded by

Reps. Knollenberg and Pallone, Adopted as Part of Larger Tax

Bill

 

WASHINGTON, DC - The House approved legislation today which would

open the door to increased trade between the U.S. and Armenia by

providing permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status to the

Republic of Armenia, reported the Armenian National Committee of

America (ANCA).

 

This legislation would ensure lower tariffs on Armenian imports to

the U.S. and give greater Armenian access to U.S. government credit

facilities on a permanent basis. The move comes less than a year

after Armenia was approved for entry into the World Trade

Organization.

 

"We want to thank Congressman Knollenberg for his tireless

leadership in winning approval of the PNTR-Armenia legislation, and

to express our appreciation to his Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman

Frank Pallone and the many other legislators who made today's

victory possible," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

"Today's action - fulfilling a long-standing Armenian Caucus

legislative priority in the U.S. House - sets the stage for opening

up new trade avenues for American and Armenian businesses and

expanding the overall level of U.S. commercial relations with

Armenia."

 

The PNTR resolution language was adopted as part of HR 3521

- the Tax Relief Extension Act of 2003 - by a voice vote. The next

step will be consideration of the measure by the full Senate.

During discussion leading up to the vote, PNTR original cosponsors

Joe Knollenberg and Frank Pallone were joined by Rep. Phil English

(R-PA) in enthusiastic support of the measure. Rep. Benjamin

Cardin (D-MD) raised a number of concerns regarding democracy in

Armenia. Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Trade

Subcommittee Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI), noted a number of

reservation about the process leading up to the adoption of the

measure.

 

For more information about the PNTR legislation, visit:

http://anca.org/anca/pressrel.asp?prID=480

 

To Contact your Senators to Urge them to Support Passage

of PNTR before the Thanksgiving Recess, visit:

http://capwiz.com/anca/mail/oneclick_compo...alertid=4274531

 

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2) TOP SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE DEMOCRAT COSPONSORS

GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

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WASHINGTON, DC - The senior Democrat on the influential Senate

Committee tasked to review the Genocide Resolution pledged his

support for the measure today, bringing the list of cosponsors to

thirty-five, reported the Armenian National Committee of America

(ANCA.)

 

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), ranking Democrat on the Senate

Judiciary Committee, cosponsored S.Res.164, a resolution marking

the 15th anniversary of the U.S. implementation of the Genocide

Convention. The decision came following an October 31st meeting

between ANC Vermont Chairman Armen Carapetian, ANCA Government

Affairs Director Abraham Niziblian and Sen. Leahy's foreign affairs

staff, during which the group discussed a wide range of issues of

concern to the Armenian American community.

 

"We are fortunate, here in Vermont, to be represented by Senator

Leahy - who serves as the Ranking Member on both the panel with

jurisdiction over the Genocide Resolution as well as the

subcommittee responsible for writing the foreign aid bill," said

Armen Carapetian, the ANC-Vermont Chairman. Carapetian, who, prior

to moving to Vermont, served as chairman of ANC-Maryland during

that state's passage of a Genocide Resolution, added that, "the

increasingly active Vermont Armenian community appreciates the

Senator's leadership and looks forward to continuing to work with

him in support of the passage of the Genocide Resolution."

 

For the complete release, visit:

http://anca.org/anca/pressrel.asp?prID=481

 

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