To those of you would care to know, just thought I'd share this with you.




February 11, 2008


--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----

1) White House Slashes Aid to Armenia; Breaks Military Parity Agreement

2) Second Annual ANCA / GI-Net Capitol Hill Advocacy Days - March 12-14

3) ANCA Mourns Passing of Chairman Tom Lantos

4) ANCA Launches CampusCause.com -- The Online Portal to Armenian Student Activism

5) Armenian American Voting Surges on Super Tuesday

Election 2008: VA, MD, DC Primaries - February 12th


--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----

1) White House Slashes Aid to Armenia; Breaks Military Parity Agreement

-- Proposes 59% Reduction in Economic Aid to Armenia

WASHINGTON, DC – President George W. Bush, in his last budget proposal to Congress, continued his Administration’s track record of recommending dramatic reductions in U.S. economic aid to Armenia and seeking to tilt the military aid balance in the region in favor of Azerbaijan, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The President's budget recommends cutting U.S. economic aid to Armenia from the FY2008 estimated level of $58 million to a proposed FY2009 level of $24 million – a cut of nearly 60% and $11 million less than his FY2008 request. This dramatic reduction to Armenia, a nation economically blockaded by Turkey and Azerbaijan, takes place against the backdrop of assistance proposals to other Independent States of the Former Soviet Union that are either remaining constant or experiencing increases. According to the President’s figures, Georgia, for example, would receive $52 million, while Azerbaijan, which is collecting billions in oil revenues, is set to receive $19.5 million. The President’s budget proposal does not include any specific assistance figures for Nagorno Karabagh. Read more. . .


--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----

2) Second Annual ANCA / Genocide Intervention Network Capitol Hill Advocacy Days
March 12-14 -- Sign up at http://www.anca.org/stopgenocide

Efforts to “End the Cycle of Genocide” Take Renewed Meaning Following Sudan Dictator Omar al-Bashir’s Visit to Turkey

WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) and Genocide Intervention Network (GI-Net) have teamed for the second annual Capitol Hill advocacy campaign to encourage Congressional action to end the cycle of genocide.

The expanded program, titled the "End the Cycle of Genocide: Grassroots Capitol Campaign," will take place March 12th through 14th in Washington DC, beginning with a special breakfast briefing on the morning of March 12th and followed by three days of Congressional visits to encourage U.S. action to stop the genocide in Darfur, the adoption of the Armenian Genocide resolution (S.Res. 106 / H.Res.106), and the strengthening of U.S. resolve to act against all instances of genocide. Read more. . .


--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----

3) ANCA Mourns Passing of Chairman Tom Lantos

WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) joined today with Armenian Americans from across the United States in mourning the loss of long-serving California Congressman Tom Lantos, a Holocaust survivor and human rights champion who, in his final months in office, played a vital role, as Chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, in this panel’s adoption of the Armenian Genocide Resolution.

In separate letters to Congressman Lantos’ wife of 58 years, Annette, and to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian underscored the gratitude of the Armenian American community to Chairman Lantos for his leadership in rejecting the powerful forces of denial and securing, this past October, his Committee’s passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution. Hachikian also shared the hope and expectation that the full House of Representatives will, in the coming weeks, complete the Chairman’s unfinished work by securing full Congressional recognition and commemoration of this crime against all humanity. Read more. . .


--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----

4) ANCA Launches CampusCause.com -- The Online Portal to Armenian American Student Activism

WASHINGTON, DC -- With Armenian American student activism at an all-time high, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) recently launched CampusCause.com (www.campuscause.com), a new website spotlighting Armenian advocacy on college campuses.

The initiative was inspired by the rising tide of student activism seen throughout the nation over recent months, particularly following the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s consideration of the Armenian Genocide Resolution. The site will serve as a portal for information on a broad range of student led educational and political initiatives across North America. It is meant to be a supplement to the soon-to-be-updated student section of the ANCA website. Read more. . .


--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----

5) Armenian American Voting Surges on Super Tuesday

-- Communities Gear up For Upcoming Primaries in Critical States

WASHINGTON, DC - Reports from over 50 chapters of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) and feedback from activists across the country are that Armenian Americans voted in record numbers on Super Tuesday. Armenian American voters joined millions of other voters in presidential selection contests in 24 states with over 3,100 convention delegates from both parties at stake.

"From California to New York, Illinois to Georgia, yesterday's primary elections marked a highpoint of Armenian American voter participation," commented ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “The reports we have received from the grassroots are that a record number in our community went to the polls, and that enthusiasm is at an all time high in the states that have yet to hold primary votes.”
Read more. . .

Tags: They Are Trying To Stop Supporting Armenia

Bookmark: