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Radanovich retiring at the end of the current Congressional term

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  • Radanovich retiring at the end of the current Congressional term

    George Radanovich will be retiring at the end of the current
    Congressional term
    30.12.2009 12:33 GMT+04:00

    /PanARMENIAN.Net/ Rep. George Radanovich, a driving force behind
    Congressional affirmation of the Armenian Genocide and vocal advocate
    of the concerns of the Central Valley's active Armenian American
    community, announced Tuesday that he will be retiring at the end of
    the current Congressional term, reported the Armenian National
    Committee of America (ANCA).

    `Since his election in 1994, Rep. Radanovich has spearheaded
    successive Congressional efforts to secure affirmation of the Armenian
    Genocide, consistently standing up to those who would set aside truth
    for political expediency,' said ANCA Executive Director Aram
    Hamparian. `We wish George and Ethie all the best in conquering the
    challenges ahead.'

    In a statement released earlier today, Rep. Radanovich noted `As many
    already know, Ethie has been valiantly fighting ovarian cancer for
    nearly three years. My family needs me, and I intend to be by their
    side to win this battle. It is for this reason that I have decided to
    not seek reelection to Congress in 2010.'

    Rep. Radanovich has played a central role in Armenian Genocide
    affirmation efforts, introducing and securing passage of an amendment
    to the House fiscal year 1997 Foreign Aid bill, which cut $3 million
    in U.S. assistance to Turkey - the equivalent of Turkey's annual
    lobbying budget against Armenian Genocide legislation at the time. The
    House passage spurred a midnight press conference by then Turkish
    Ambassador Nuzhet Kandemir, rejecting the U.S. economic assistance
    package because of its connection to Armenian Genocide affirmation.
    Rep. Radanovich would follow up in 1997 by suggesting that funds
    rejected by Turkey be reprogrammed to Armenia, to offset the results
    of the devastating dual blockades by Turkey and Azerbaijan.

    Turkey eventually accepted the funds. Rep. Radanovich was also the
    lead sponsor of the 2000 Armenian Genocide resolution, dramatically
    taken off the Congressional agenda just moments before House
    consideration by Speaker Dennis Hastert, now a lobbyist for the
    Turkish Government, in response to a request from the Clinton
    Administration. Since 2000, Rep. Radanovich has joined with Rep. Adam
    Schiff (D-CA) and Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank
    Pallone (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) in spearheading successive
    Genocide resolutions, including H.Res.252, which currently has over
    135 cosponsors. He has also been a consistent advocate for increased
    U.S. assistance to Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh, self-determination
    for Nagorno Karabagh and Congressional efforts to end the dual Turkish
    and Azeri blockades of Armenia.
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