United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power has established a two-year pattern of dodging straightforward Congressional inquiries regarding the lack of USAID programs in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), a trend that was on display during her most recent appearance before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.

Asked straightforward questions about the status of US aid for Artsakh by the panel’s Chairman, Bob Menendez, Power again deferred, refusing to answer his question or even meaningfully address the Senator’s broader point, by saying “I don’t have that figure off the top of my head.”

Power took credit for conducting “two assessment missions to the region,” failing to note that these were only conducted belatedly as a result of a Congressional mandate spearheaded by Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA). Asked to provide the Foreign Relations Committee with these assessments, Power agreed.

In his opening remarks at the April 26th Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Chairman Menendez complained that at times USAID’s response to crises is “slower than molasses,” noting, “Case in point: The humanitarian crisis for Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh is only getting worse. Where are we? Why aren’t we airlifting humanitarian supplies to those Armenians facing blockade? We need to respond to events quickly, and we also need to address root causes.”