Senate Appropriations Committee Voted for $50 Million Assistance to Armenia

June 30, /PanARMENIAN.Net/. The full Senate Appropriations Committee today voted to render $50 million economic assistance to the Republic of Armenia in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2007, reported the Armenian Assembly of Armenia.

In contrast, the House approved bill for FY 2007 provides $62 million in FSA.

In a positive development, initial reports indicate that the Senate Appropriations Committee reinstated military aid parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan for FY 2007. The legislation, which allocates $3.5 million in military financing to both countries, signals that Azerbaijan’s continued war rhetoric is not welcome and is in fact counterproductive.

The Senate Appropriations Committee also requested $5 million in humanitarian and relief assistance to Nagorno Karabakh.

The next step in the legislative process is for the full Senate to consider the bill after which, the House and Senate will reconcile the differences in a conference committee.