WASHINGTON, DC. – US Congressmen called to increase economic assistance to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Frank Pallone and Michael Grimm were joined by over twenty of their colleagues in calling on leading House foreign aid appropriators to increase aid to Armenia, expand assistance for Nagorno-Karabakh, target allocations for Javakhk, and support refugee resettlement funding for displaced Christian Armenian populations in the Middle East, as they advance the Fiscal Year 2014 foreign aid bill, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The letter comes just weeks after President Obama released his FY 2014 budget which included a 38% cut in Fiscal Year 2014 (FY14) economic aid to Armenia, a proposal that, if approved by Congress, would reduce U.S. assistance to Armenia to its lowest level since the 1988 earthquake.

“All friends of Armenia join in expressing our appreciation to each and every legislator supporting this initiative to advance our interests and values in a vitally important region of the world,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. “We look forward to working in partnership with these friends, and others, as we continue to support Armenia's growth, Artsakh's security, Javakhk’s development, and the welfare of at-risk Armenians and other Christians in the Middle East.”