The Rhode Island House passed a resolution today calling on the U.S. President and Congress to recognize the independence of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. The resolution also encouraged the republic’s “continued efforts to develop as a free and independent nation,” and praised Artsakh’s “constructive involvement with the international community and its efforts to reach a lasting solution to the existing regional problems.”

The U.S. House panel responsible for foreign aid this week adopted a number of provisions promoting U.S. interests and American values in the Caucasus, proposing sharply increasing aid to Nagorno Karabakh from $2 to $5 million and rejecting the Obama Administration’s proposed $7.2 million cut in aid to Armenia, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.

Since Rep. Jean Schmidt created a legal expense trust to help repay an improper gift she received from the Turkish Coalition of America, the Miami Township Republican has received a single $5,000 donation from a company called Global Eclipse.

On the eve of the Eurovision Song Contest, scrutiny of host Azerbaijan is increasing, particularly the country’s human rights record. A confidential German Foreign Ministry report, which SPIEGEL has seen, criticizes “state repression” in the country.

Senators and Representatives took to the floors of their respective chambers during the week of April 24th to mark the 97th anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian Genocide and to share with their colleagues the moral imperative to enact legislation condemning this crime against humanity

In response to a direct written question from Representative Brad Sherman (D-CA), Secretary of State Hillary Clinton officially reaffirmed the Obama Administration’s focus of “significant assistance resources toward programs that benefit the Samstke-Javakheti region of Georgia,” reported the Armenian National Committee of America.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in written responses to questions submitted by Congressman Howard Berman (D-CA), the Ranking Democrat on the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, offered inordinate and undeserved praise for Turkey for taking “concrete steps” to return a tiny fraction of stolen religious properties, but did commit to continuing to both press Ankara to return additional properties confiscated from minority religious communities to their rightful owners, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.

USA Today published reported on Tuesday that a mystery Super-PAC that funded robocalls in support of Armenian-American Congressional candidate David Krikorian’s opponent, William R. Smith, may have violated election laws.

In a major upset, Brad Wenstrup, a doctor who has never held political office, ousted seven-year incumbent Rep. Jean Schmidt, in a nail-biter GOP primary contest for Ohio’s second congressional district, local papers reported last night.

Armenian Americans sharply criticized Thursday’s 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision in the Movsesian v. Versicherung case, which would effectively bar Americans of Armenian descent from seeking the return of stolen Armenian Genocide era insurance assets through U.S. courts, under California law.

President Obama has called for a sharp 19% reduction in economic aid to Armenia in the last budget request of his term, reported the Armenian National Committee of America

Armenian National Committee of America Chairman Ken Hachikian posed ten questions to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton regarding U.S. policy on the Armenian Genocide.

Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), lead sponsor of the Armenian Genocide resolution, and Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA), ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, met with Georgian president, Mikheil Saakashvili, Thursday to discuss the bilateral relationship between the United States and Georgia and to ask the president to focus more attention on the Armenian region of Samtskhe-Javakheti

The Senate and House finalized the Fiscal Year 2012 FY12) U.S. foreign assistance package this past weekend, approving $40 million in U.S. assistance to Armenia, maintaining current funding levels for Nagorno Karabakh, and calling for military assistance parity for Armenia and Azerbaijan, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.