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The U.S. House cast a powerful vote in support of Artsakh aid on Thursday, adopting a bi-partisan ANCA-backed amendment led by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Jackie Speier (D-CA), Representatives TJ Cox (D-CA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and more than 35 of their House colleagues to continue life-saving demining assistance, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The vote represents a powerful rebuke to the Azerbaijani government-driven, State Department-supported effort to end Artsakh’s demining program, despite its remarkable record of having removed tens of thousand of landmines and saving countless lives.

The bi-partisan Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) aid amendment to H.R.7608 was adopted as part of a larger “en bloc” group of amendments backed by the House majority. As is often the case in the U.S. House, this “en bloc” was approved on a party line vote. The Artsakh amendment calls for $1.4 million in U.S. aid for the continuing life-saving de-mining efforts of The HALO Trust.

Continued aid to Artsakh to support demining and rehabilitation efforts has been a key part of the ANCA’s 360-degree policy priorities to ensure Artsakh security and freedom. Through ANCA-supported Congressionally-mandated U.S. assistance, The HALO Trust has been de-mining in Artsakh since 2001.