HOUSE, SENATE NEGOTIATORS INCLUDE ARMENIA PNTR IN LARGER TRADE BILL:
BOTH CHAMBERS SET TO VOTE NEXT
WASHINGTON, October 11 (Noyan Tapan). One of the Armenian Assembly of
America’s (AAA) highest legislative priorities – normalizing trade
relations between the United States and Armenia – took a major step
forward on October 9 as House and Senate conferees for a key trade
measure agreed to attach legislation extending permanent normal trade
relations (PNTR) to Armenia. “The Assembly welcomes today action
to attach Armenia PNTR to the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical
Corrections Act and thanks House Ways and Committee Chairman Bill
Thomas for including it in this conference report,” said Assembly
Board of Trustees Chairman Hirair Hovnanian. “We commend him and the
Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone,
Jr. (D-NJ) for their leadership and steadfast efforts to deepen the
U.S.-Armenia trade relationship.” “The ongoing Turkish and Azeri
blockades are two strikes against Armenia’s ability to prosper as
a free-market economy, so any U.S. trade benefits, such as those
resulting from the removal of the trade restrictions, are helpful,”
Hovnanian added. “It is our hope Congress will pass this legislation
at its earliest opportunity.” PNTR, known as “permanent normal trade
relations”. would remove a nearly 30-year-old provision requiring
Armenia and other countries to periodically obtain presidential
approval for continued access to low tariffs. In so doing, it would
signal an upgrade in Armeniaâ^À^Ùs status as a trading partner and
should lead to additional trade agreements between the United States
and Armenia. Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chairmen Joe
Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) first introduced the
legislation known as H.R. 528 in February 2003, which passed the House
of Representatives later that year. The Assembly for its part, helped
push the measure through by working to secure the co-sponsorship of
more than 100 lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle. Last
year, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) along with Senators Paul
Sarbanes (D-MD) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) introduced S. 1557, which
was modeled after the House version of Armenia PNTR. This measure
has the bipartisan support of over 20 cosponsors. The next step in
the legislative process is for the House-Senate conference report to
go the floors of both Chambers for a final vote.