Issue Position: Armenia

Issue Position

Congressman Sherman Working to Strengthen U.S. Armenia Ties:

"As a senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, I have focused on recognizing the Armenian Genocide, recognizing the massacre of Armenian civilians in Sumgait, increasing funding to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, and increasing military training aid for Armenia despite attempts by the administration to increase aid only to Azerbaijan," said Sherman. "Additionally, I am working to protect the rights of Christian communities and churches in Turkey. I am also pressing the State Department to scrutinize the license of Export-Import Bank's financing of the Azersat satellite which may possibly give the Azeri government the capacity to jam Armenian communications or survey Armenia or Nagorno-Karabakh."

Sherman Presses Administration on U.S. Assistance to Armenia

Since 1993, Congress has provided approximately $2 billion in assistance to Armenia. This funding has helped Armenia make the transition from communism to a free market economy, build democratic institutions, and provide for the needs of the Armenian people.

Sherman has worked for years to fight for an increase in foreign assistance to Armenia. In 2009, Sherman was active in securing $41 million in assistance to Armenia.

In the President's most recent budget request, he called for $40 million in assistance to Armenia. Sherman is supporting efforts to secure additional funds for assistance to Armenia.

Opposing Armenia's Exclusion from Regional Integration

The U.S. should actively oppose any efforts to exclude Armenia from regional integration. That is why Sherman has supported blocking any U.S. assistance for an ill-conceived railroad that links Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey while deliberately excluding Armenia.

Azeri President Aliyev was blunt about his intentions with regard to this project. He said, "If we succeed with this [railroad], the Armenians will end in complete isolation, which could create an additional problem for their future, their already bleak future…" Sherman is working to make sure that not one cent of American taxpayer money is used to support this fundamentally anti-Armenian and anti-American effort.

Supporters of this ill-conceived railroad could potentially turn to two U.S. government agencies for assistance: the Export-Import Bank and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. In 2006, Sherman joined his colleagues in the House Financial Services Committee in passing into law an amendment that prohibits one of these agencies, the Export-Import Bank, from supporting the anti-Armenian railroad.

Armenian Genocide Resolution Passes Committee by 1 Vote

In a 23 to 22 vote, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs passed House Resolution 252 in March 2010, officially recognizing Armenian Genocide.

Congressman Sherman believes it is high time that the Armenia Genocide Resolution is passed by Congress and that the House Foreign Affairs Committee's passage is a major step toward final passage.

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