WASHINGTON, DC. –  During today`s House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on the Administration`s Budget for Fiscal Year 2013, Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) expressed support for U.S. assistance to the Javakhk region of Georgia, reported the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly).

Congressman Sherman, noting the generous U.S. aid provided to Georgia, requested that the Armenian community residing in the Javakhk region of Georgia benefit from such assistance targeted to that area. Sherman relayed his understanding through the Georgian Embassy that the Georgian government is supportive of assisting Javakhk and stressed that these efforts would help achieve U.S. strategic goals in the Caucasus. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was testifying before the Committee, indicated that she will respond to the Congressman in writing.

Sherman told the Assembly that he also plans to ask the Secretary additional questions for the record, including U.S. assistance to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, as well as Turkey`s ongoing blockade of Armenia.

Also, today, Congressman Sherman commemorated the 24th anniversary of the 1988 Sumgait pogrom, in which innocent Armenians were targeted in Azerbaijan. In his House floor statement, Sherman stated: "We will not forget the ethnic-cleansing of the Armenians from Azerbaijan...We must urge Azerbaijan to cease all threats and acts of coercion against the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh."