The Armenian National Congress of Armenia is troubled by President Trump’s ill-advised and misguided proposal to sharply cut aid to Armenia, Asbarez reported.
“His budget recommendation underscores the need to work with Congressional appropriators to reverse these reductions, while redoubling our efforts to empower Armenia’s aid-to-trade transition,” said Aram Hamparian, ANCA Executive Director.
Under the Administration's budget, aid to Armenia would be reduced by 67 percent, dropping from $20.4 million in FY16 to $6.8 million proposed for FY18.
“Building on 2015’s Trade and Investment Framework Agreement and leveraging the five hundred million dollars in new U.S. investments in Armenia, we need to put in place a badly-needed Double Tax Treaty, launch direct Los Angeles to Yerevan flights, secure an MCC Science and Technology education grant for Armenian schools, and undertake other targeted commercial initiatives to strengthen the U.S.-Armenia bilateral economic relationship,” added Hamparian.
ANCA’s Hamparian also noted that the organization will continue working with congressional leaders to ensure that a portion of the Trump’s proposed $2.75 billion allocated to Migration and Refugee Assistance would go to Armenia, which has accepted a large number of refugees from Syria over the course of the past several years.