The Ahepan Spring 2020 - 22

CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY

Bilirakis, and David Cicilline for their
sponsorship of the Act in the House.
We appreciate the recognition by
United States policymakers in both
chambers of Congress, and on both
sides of the aisle, of the strategic
importance of the trilateral partnership to U.S. interests."
Holding Turkey Accountable.
H.R.1865 also included a provision that
states no funds from the Act are to be
used for the sale of defense articles to
the Turkish Presidential Protection
Directorate (TPPD), who were responsible for the May 2017 assault on
American protesters on U.S. soil, unless
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reports
to Congress that they have returned
to the United States to stand trial. The
other bill included in the legislative
package, H.R.1158, the national security appropriations minibus, "prohibits

the transfer of F-35 fighters to Turkey
to prevent the exposure of cutting-edge
U.S. technology to Russian missile systems," according the minibus' summary.
"We again commend Congress for
taking appropriate measures to hold
Turkey responsible for its actions that
violate U.S. law, run contrary to U.S.
security interests, and trounce on
American values," Horiates said.
Providing Affordable Housing for
the Elderly. H.R.1865 also provided a
boost for construction of new affordable housing for the elderly administered under the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development's
Section 202 program - an AHEPA and
Daughters of Penelope priority. The
minibus bill provides:
* $793 million for the 202 program,
$115 million above the 2019 enacted
level.

* $90 million for construction of new
units.
* $100 million for service coordinators, who are the linchpin of the 202
program.
From FY2011 to FY2016, the Section
202 Capital Advance program had been
zeroed-out. However, since FY2017,
Congress has appropriated $251 million
for new construction.
"With our nation's elderly population
booming, the need to provide and maintain
dignified affordable housing for our low-income and disabled seniors is as pervasive as ever," Horiates said. "We applaud
Congress' renewed commitment to provide
robust investment in the 202 program."
AHEPA and the Daughters of
Penelope have sponsored 91 Section
202 Housing for the Elderly properties
in 21 states, totaling approximately
5,000 units.

U.S. Senate Passage of Armenian Genocide Resolution
Applauded
In a victory for human rights, AHEPA applauds the U.S.
Senate's passage by Unanimous Consent of S.Res.150, a resolution to affirm the United States record on the Armenian
Genocide, on Dec. 12, 2019, announced Supreme President
George G. Horiates.
"We commend and congratulate the
Armenian American community for its
decades of relentless hard work and persistent advocacy to attain the rightful recognition of the Armenian Genocide by
the United States government," Supreme
President Horiates said. "Today, the U.S. Senator
Menendez
U.S. Senate joined the U.S. House of
Representatives to affirm a historic truth and a commitment
to human rights and ended the United States' denial of the
first genocide of the 20th century. We also appreciate the

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resolution's recognition of a genocide against Greeks by citing the United States' history of providing relief to 'the survivors of the campaign of genocide against Armenians, Greeks,
Assyrians, Chaldeans, Syriacs, Arameans, Maronites, and
other Christians.'
Horiates added, "We are grateful to the
champions of the resolution in the U.S.
Senate, Senators Robert Menendez and Ted
Cruz, for their unwavering persistence and
dedication to bring the resolution to the
Senate Floor for a vote; and to the resoluU.S. Senator
tion's 28 co-sponsors. Today, not one Senator
Cruz
objected.
"Finally, we thank community members who responded to
all the action alerts issued and contacted their U.S. Senators.
Your advocacy made a difference."

Spring 2020 · THE AHEPAN

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The Ahepan Spring 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Ahepan Spring 2020