[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 176 (Tuesday, December 9, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2505]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 ARMENIAN TECHNOLOGY GROUP AND CENTRAL DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORY IN ARMENIA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, December 8, 2003

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I wish to take this opportunity to 
clarify a key provision in Fiscal Year 2004 Foreign Operations 
Appropriations which was included in the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act of 2004.
  As you know, this Congress continues to be a supporter of strong 
U.S.-Armenian relations to include economic and related programs. In 
fact, this bill appropriates $75 million to help Armenia with its 
continued progress toward a market-oriented democratic nation.
  However, it is not just economic assistance that Congress is voting 
on today. We are also voting on a provision which expressed the intent 
of Congress that the U.S. Agency for International Development provides 
sufficient funding to establish and operate a Central Diagnostic 
Laboratory in Armenia that can serve the Caucasus region. Currently, 
there is no such resource in Armenia or the region to safeguard human 
health and food safety against the threat of contamination or spread of 
disease.
  I believe it is the intent of this Congress that the U.S. Agency for 
International Development utilize the services of the Armenian 
Technology Group, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization, to work with 
Armenian officials to establish and begin operations of this Central 
Diagnostic Laboratory. Furthermore, I believe it is key that this work 
begin as early as possible so that the Caucasus region, and by 
extension the United States, can benefit from the protection provided 
by this Central Diagnostic Laboratory.

                          ____________________