WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. House Appropriators prioritized aid for Syrian relief, but remained largely silent on specific Fiscal Year 2016 aid levels for the Caucasus, underscoring the pivotal role that pending Senate consideration of this measure will play in addressing Armenian American concerns, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The full House Appropriations Committee 'marked up' and voted on their version of the FY 2016 foreign aid bill, after considering a short list of amendments offered by members of the panel, all but one of which were rejected on party-line votes. In the draft report submitted alongside the measure, appropriators cited continued funding to assist Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey in dealing with the Syrian refugee crisis.

The measure did not make specific reference to U.S. economic aid priorities in Armenia, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, or Georgia, though $20 million was allotted in military assistance to Georgia. The resolution also maintained “Section 907” restrictions on US assistance to Azerbaijan, based on the 1992 law which condemned that country's aggression and blockade against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Senate's consideration of its version of this bill is set to start in early July with a mark-up by the Appropriations Subcommittee of State-Foreign Operations.