The Rules Committee Ruled ''Out of Order'' Amendment which Sought to Block any U.S. Funding for Humanitarian De-Mining in Artsakh: ANCA

• 07.23.2020, 13:55
•  America,  World,  NKR,  Diaspora

The U.S. House Rules Committee – under the leadership of Chairman Jim McGovern (D-MA) – has cleared the way for the ANCA-backed amendment calling for continued U.S. aid for Artsakh demining to be considered and voted upon by the full U.S. House of Representatives, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The U.S. House is set to take up the amendment as early as Thursday, July 23, as it begins consideration of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Foreign Aid Bill (H.R.7608). Artsakh aid supporters can contact their U.S. Representatives to vote “yes” on the amendment by visiting anca.org/call.

“We want to thank Chairman McGovern for ensuring that the full U.S. House has the opportunity to show support for Artsakh and all Armenians in the wake of the deadliest Azerbaijani attack in years,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. “Our community is deeply grateful for the leadership of Representatives Jackie Speier, TJ Cox, Gus Bilirakis, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Brad Sherman, Devin Nunes, Jim Costa and all those who are working so hard for peace.”

The Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) aid amendment #49 to H.R.7608 calls for $1.4 million in U.S. aid to Artsakh to continue the life-saving de-mining efforts of The HALO Trust. The bi-partisan amendment was led by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Jackie Speier (D-CA), Representatives TJ Cox (D-CA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and supported by over 30 House members including Representatives Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), Judy Chu (D-CA), David Cicilline (D-RI), Gil Cisneros (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Danny Davis (D-IL), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), John Garamendi (D-CA), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Jim Langevin (D-RI), Susie Lee (D-NV), Andy Levin (D-MI), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Devin Nunes (R-CA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Max Rose (D-NY), Harley Rouda (D-CA), Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Janet Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), and Juan Vargas (D-CA). No other amendment to the FY2021 Foreign Aid Bill had as many co-sponsors.

The Rules Committee ruled “out of order” Amendment #69, introduced by Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus and Turkey Caucus Co-Chair Steve Cohen (D-TN), which sought to block any U.S. funding for humanitarian de-mining in Artsakh. A similarly hostile amendment, offered by Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), was withdrawn earlier today. The panel also ruled out of order the ANCA-backed Speier-Sherman-Costa Amendment #50 which would have increased U.S. aid to Armenia by $20 million.