Obama urges 38% cut in Armenia aid. Take Action‏

May 13, 2009 ANCA Endowment Telethon Coming to a Channel Near You Watch Video: Activists Urge Telethon Participation in Public Service Spots Obama Seeks 38% Cut in Aid to Armenia Proposes Breaking Military Aid Parity Agreement in Favor of Azerbaijan Take Action! Contact your Senate and House members Facts & Figures: Proposed Armenia aid cut in perspective Read community reaction to Obama's budget and offer your comments OBAMA SEEKS 38% CUT IN AID TO ARMENIA WASHINGTON, DC - Despite a 9% increase in overall foreign aid spending, President Barack Obama has called for a 38% cut in aid to Armenia, a 20% increase in aid to Azerbaijan, and the abandonment of the longstanding Armenia-Azerbaijan military aid parity agreement in favor of Baku, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). These figures, released today as part of the President's Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 budget, represent a sharp departure from the President's campaign commitments to maintain U.S. assistance to Armenia and to foster its growth and development through aid and trade. In January of 2008 and again only days before the November election, the President said he would "help foster Armenia's growth and development through expanded trade and targeted aid," adding that he will also, "strengthen the commercial, political, military, developmental, and cultural relationships between the U.S. and Armenian governments." "President Obama, despite his promise to maintain U.S. assistance to Armenia and his campaign commitment to help foster Armenia's growth and development, has called for a thirty-eight percent cut in aid to Armenia," said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. "His proposal to sharply reduce vitally needed assistance to Armenia, even as he is increasing overall foreign aid spending, is all the more disappointing in light of the urgent economic challenges facing Armenia." President Obama's budget calls for $30 million in U.S. aid to Armenia, down 38% from the FY09 allocation of $48 million. Under his proposal, funding for Azerbaijan would increase 20% from $18.5 million to $22.12 million. The complete international affairs budget proposed by the White House is $53,872,901. In Foreign Military Finance spending, President Obama has requested $4 million for Azerbaijan and only $3 million for Armenia, while funds for International Military Education and Training (IMET) represent an even starker break in the parity agreement struck between Congress and the White House in 2001, with $900,000 being proposed for Azerbaijan and $450,000 for Armenia. The Foreign Operations Subcommittees of the House and Senate Appropriation Committees will now review the President's budget and each draft their own versions of the FY 2010 foreign assistance bill. ANCA ENDOWMENT FUND TELETHON COMING TO A CHANNEL NEAR YOU Six-hour live broadcast on May 31st to Reach Communities Via Cable and Web Washington, DC - The ANCA Endowment Fund Telethon will spread the message of growing Armenian community civic activism to households across the United States and around the world using a diverse array of broadcast and internet options, designed to ensure each and every activist an opportunity to participate in this grassroots initiative. "Armenian Americans have broadened their outreach to media and to their elected officials across the country like never before, and with support for the Telethon, we can build on our successes," said Telethon Committee Chairman Leonard Manoukian. "We want to make sure that this powerful message is sent out to supporters and activists around the country, to educate, motivate and activate an ever-widening Armenian constituency." The Telethon will be viewed in major Armenian American community media markets on May 31st from 6:00pm. Visit http://www.2009telethon.org/tv.php The Telethon will also be webcast on the ANCA Endowment Fund Telethon website, 2009telethon.org. Telethon Watch parties are being coordinated in communities nationwide through local organizations and individuals. Activists who would like to host a Telethon Watch party in their area should call the ANCA Endowment Fund Telethon headquarters at (877) 808-ANCA. Search the web with www.goodsearch.com and money from Yahoo advertisers will go to the ANCA without you spending a dime. A penny per search! Use www.goodshop.com for online purchases from hundreds of popular sites and a percentage comes back to the ANCA. When you GoodSearch & GoodShop - Choose the ANCA ! Published by the Armenian National Committee of America 1711 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 Tel: (202) 775-1918, Fax: (202) 775-5648, E-mail: anca@anca.org, Web: www.anca.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~