On Friday, The Armenian National Committee of America called on Secretary of State Michael Pompeo to immediately reprogram $25 million from the Congressional appropriated aid package for Armenia as part of an expanded U.S. assistance program to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic with urgently needed medical equipment and supplies, technical assistance, and support for at-risk families.
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In a letter sent Friday to the State Department making this $25 million request, ANCA Chairman Raffi Hamparian shared thanks for the Administration’s initial $1.1 million emergency allocation and expressed the Armenian American community’s appreciation for all those at the Department of State and partner agencies who are striving selflessly to represent the United States, protect American citizens, support our allies, and help end this pandemic.
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Hamparian noted that the European Union recently announced that it is reprogramming over 30 million Euros in existing funding to help Armenia bolster its COVID-19 efforts, and also making additional funds available for Armenia to acquire medical devices and equipment, support small and medium-sized businesses, and help ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches low-income families.
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Senators James Risch, Chairman Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Robert Menendez, Ranking Member, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Richard Shelby, Chairman, Senate Appropriations Committee and Patrick Leahy, Ranking Member, Senate Appropriations Committee, as well as representatives Eliot Engel, Chairman House Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael McCaul, Ranking Member, House Foreign Affairs Committee, Nita Lowey, Chairwoman, House Appropriations Committee, Hal Rogers, Ranking Member, House Appropriations Committee and the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues were copied on the letter.
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The full text of the ANCA letter can be found here.
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The Editor
ANCA Calls on Pompeo to Reprogram $25 Million in Armenia Aid to Fight COVID-19.
