PanARMENIAN.Net - The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed an amendment by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) Monday, July 21 which calls for greater Congressional oversight over a U.S. military aid program under which Azerbaijan has received over $120 million in U.S. defense assistance, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.
Monday’s vote comes just a week after the escalation on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, when the latter launched three unsuccessful infiltration attempts in the next four days. The Azerbaijani military also used artillery and combat drones to target civilian homes in several border settlements in Armenia. Four servicemen of the Armenian army were killed, while Azerbaijan reported 12 deaths.
“We thank Congressman Pallone, Sherman, Speier, and Schiff for demanding transparency and accountability from the Administration regarding its reckless arming of an increasingly hostile and virulently anti-Armenian Aliyev regime,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “Armenian Americans deeply appreciate the strong leadership of the Armenian Caucus on the full range of policy priorities of concern to our Congressional friends, community partners, and coalition allies.”
The Pallone Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA – H.R.6395), which was cosponsored by Representatives Brad Sherman (D-CA), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), requires that the Defense Department submit a report to Congress on a U.S. military aid program (known as Section 333) that has sent over $120 million worth of defense assistance to Azerbaijan over the past several years.
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