Frank Pallone: “I want to urge support for the bill that we are considering tonight. The conference report contains important provisions…”

“I want to urge support for the bill that we are considering tonight. The conference report contains important provisions affecting Armenia and the Caucasus region, most of which I support. I do want to express my respect and gratitude for the gentleman from Alabama, Chairman Callahan, for his willingness to listen to the concerns of the Armenian community, and particularly I want to salute the ranking member, the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Pelosi], and Members of the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, particularly the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Porter] and the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Knollenberg] for their tireless efforts on behalf of Armenia, the Nagorno Karabagh, and the cause of peace and stability in the Caucasus, and I also want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Frelinghuysen]. This bill provides an unprecedented $12.5 million in humanitarian aid to Nagorno Karabagh. Despite relentless opposition from the administration, the lobbyists for Azerbaijan and Turkey, the bill provides, for the first time, an earmark of humanitarian assistance for the people of Karabagh. These funds will help refugees, internally displaced persons and needy civilians in Nagorno Karabagh. This is the first time this has been approved by Congress and signifies the beginning of U.S.- administered assistance programs to Nagorno Karabagh.”