KSEE: Armenian Aid In Jeopardy

The Hill

07-02-2025

ARMENIAN AID IN JEOPARDY-PK_CAFREOF1WKS839_JSaul_20250206_164407.mxf[TAKE PKG] L3:Rep. Jim Costa (D) Fresno New at 6 No None L3:Aram Hamparian EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ARMENIAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF AMERICA New at 6 ...{***PK***} "to indicate that they no longer are needed, I think is a grave mistake." PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP PUTTING ALMOST ALL US FOREIGN AID ON HOLD… IT'S A MOVE THAT STOPS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN INTERNATIONAL FUNDING.. "This U.S. aid is an important part of our presence around the world.//When we have parts of the world in which children are starving and all of a sudden do without any notice, pull out, I don't know what they're thinking." AS A RESULT OF TRUMPS ACTION-- REPRESENTATIVE JIM COSTA PENNED A LETTER TO SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO ON WEDNESDAY…URGING HIM TO CONVINCE THE PRESIDENT TO REVERSE COURSE. THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ARMENIAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF AMERICA SAYS THIS IS A SEVERE BLOW TO ARMENIAN REFUGEES. "There are many refugees, well over 100,000 Armenian refugees, who were ethnically cleansed within the last 18 months, who need assistance, humanitarian aid." REPRESENTATIVE COSTA UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING US-AID ALIVE.. ARMENIA RECEIVED FORTY MILLON DOLLARS IN AID LAST YEAR. THE MOVE BY THE PRESIDENT REVERBERATING IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA. "There are many of our folks in the valley and in other parts of California where they still have relatives in Armenia.//since 1991, when Armenia broke away from the Soviet Union, U.S. aid has been an important effort to maintain Armenians ability to promote their own economic development and their own democratic institutions." HOWEVER, HAMPARIAN SAYS USAID HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN CONSISTENT FOR ARMENIA. "USAID has a mixed record in Armenia. They've met, you know, some very desperate humanitarian needs that help us in development work.." HAMPARIAN BELIEVES U-S AID SHOULD BE CURTAILED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. "We're looking forward to sort of a more transparent process where we can take a look, let's say, under the hood and see which of that assistance has been good and which has not been good."