WASHINGTON. - Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Frank Pallone is currently securing the support of his U.S. House colleagues for increased aid to Armenia, expanded assistance for Nagorno-Karabakh, targeted allocations for Javakhk, and refugee resettlement funding for displaced Christian Armenian populations in the Middle East, in the Fiscal Year 2013 foreign aid bill, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The New Jersey legislator and longtime leader on Armenian issues has circulated a sign-on letter that will be sent to the leadership of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State-Foreign Operations. The key requests in the letter are:

-- At least $5 million in U.S. aid to Nagorno-Karabakh.

-- At least 10% of U.S. assistance to Georgia to be earmarked for job creation programs in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region of that country.

-- At least $50 million in U.S. economic aid to Armenia.

-- Funds for humanitarian and resettlement assistance specifically targeted to Armenian and other Christian populations as well as other minority communities affected by the recent unrest in the Middle East.

-- Language strengthening Section 907 restrictions on U.S. aid to Azerbaijan.

-- Removal of barriers to contact and communication with representatives of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

-- Language calling for the participation of Nagorno-Karabakh leaders in the OSCE Minsk Group negotiations