A delegation comprised of constituents of California’s 21st Congressional District, clerical and lay leaders of the San Joaquin Valley’s Armenian American community, and internship program alumni and friends of the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) met last week with Congressman David G. Valadao (R-CA), Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues.

“The Assembly is pleased to have had an opportunity to lead a delegation of constituents and San Joaquin Valley leaders to meet with Rep. Valadao, and discuss paramount issues of concern affecting Armenia, Artsakh, and U.S.-Armenia relations,” Assembly Western Region Director Mihran Toumajan stated.

The delegates thanked Rep. Valadao, currently in his third term in the U.S. House of Representatives, for his leadership in the Armenian Caucus. They noted the importance of his membership of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations, which is partially responsible (along with members of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee) for the approval of U.S. foreign assistance to the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), as well as humanitarian assistance to Syrian citizens who have sought refuge in Armenia as a result of the Syrian Civil War. Within the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Valadao serves as Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies.

The Assembly-led delegation discussed a wide range of issues of paramount concern to Armenian Americans during the meeting, including Azerbaijan’s incessant and deadly attacks, which escalated in 2015, upon civilians and soldiers living in Armenia and Artsakh. They reminded Rep. Valadao that Azerbaijan’s initiated violence is in contravention to the May 1994 ceasefire agreement signed by representatives of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Nagorno Karabakh, and is a clear violation of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, which is intended to restrict U.S. assistance to the government of Azerbaijan until it takes “demonstrable steps to cease all blockades and other offensive uses of force against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.”