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ANCA URGES SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI TO SCHEDULE VOTE ON H.RES. 252
AZG DAILY #227
09-12-2010
Armenian Genocide Update: 2010-12-09 00:15:09 (GMT +04:00)
Armenian National Committee of America has urged outgoing U.S. House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi to schedule a vote on the Armenian Genocide
Resolution (H.Res.252). "The Honorable Nancy Pelosi will have
the unique opportunity to end her term as Speaker of the House
of Representatives with a strong moral stand. She holds the power
to schedule a floor vote on legislation urging the United States
President to accurately characterize the systematic and deliberate
annihilation of 1,500,000 Armenians as genocide, to recall the proud
history of United States intervention in opposition to the Armenian
Genocide, and to make sure that the lessons of this atrocity are used
to help prevent future crimes against humanity. The Armenian Genocide
Resolution (H.Res.252) introduced by Representative Adam Schiff and 76
of his colleagues in March 2009 was approved by the Foreign Affairs
Committee chaired by Representative Howard Berman in March of this
year. The resolution was reported out of committee on September 22nd
for consideration by the entire House of Representatives. H.Res. 252
has gained the co-sponsorship of 148 House members. The actual
number of House members willing to vote for the measure is much
higher. This past summer, Speaker Pelosi, consistent with her long
record in support of Armenian Genocide recognition, committed to
schedule a vote on H.Res. 252 - a vote that she described as an
expression of the American conscience - as soon as it was clear
this human rights measure enjoyed the support of a majority in the
House of Representatives. The spirit of the victims of Genocide and
the voices of the survivors and their progeny are calling on the
Speaker to bring this resolution for a vote before the 111th Congress
adjourns in the next 10 days. Armenians and all the world deserve to
know where each member of the U.S. House of Representatives stands
on this vital expression of our common American conscience. There are
some members of the House who do not want to face their conscience and
would prefer avoiding having to take a stand against a clear case of
genocide. As in the past, they will offer every manner of excuse -
some old and others invented for this occasion. The fact remains,
however, that none of these excuses should be allowed to prevent the
elected representatives of the American people from the long overdue
opportunity to vote up or down on the Armenian Genocide Resolution.
The Speaker's decision to bring H.Res. 252 to a vote will represent a
victory over the forces of denial, just as its adoption by the full
House will stand as a triumph of the truth. As you know, a vote on
Armenian Genocide resolutions by the entire House or Senate has been
blocked for more than a quarter century. Every manner of obstacle
has been thrown in the way of their adoption in 1985, 1987, 1990,
2000 and 2007 - ranging from foreign threats and domestic pressure
to parliamentary tactics and procedural motions. We look to the
Speaker to make sure that 2010 is the year this measure is brought
to the floor and adopted by the full House of Representatives. We
know Speaker Pelosi to be a woman of conscience and call upon her to
schedule a vote on H.Res.252 before the House adjourns," reads the
letter of ANCA Western and Eastern U.S. leaders.
From: A. Papazian
AZG DAILY #227
09-12-2010
Armenian Genocide Update: 2010-12-09 00:15:09 (GMT +04:00)
Armenian National Committee of America has urged outgoing U.S. House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi to schedule a vote on the Armenian Genocide
Resolution (H.Res.252). "The Honorable Nancy Pelosi will have
the unique opportunity to end her term as Speaker of the House
of Representatives with a strong moral stand. She holds the power
to schedule a floor vote on legislation urging the United States
President to accurately characterize the systematic and deliberate
annihilation of 1,500,000 Armenians as genocide, to recall the proud
history of United States intervention in opposition to the Armenian
Genocide, and to make sure that the lessons of this atrocity are used
to help prevent future crimes against humanity. The Armenian Genocide
Resolution (H.Res.252) introduced by Representative Adam Schiff and 76
of his colleagues in March 2009 was approved by the Foreign Affairs
Committee chaired by Representative Howard Berman in March of this
year. The resolution was reported out of committee on September 22nd
for consideration by the entire House of Representatives. H.Res. 252
has gained the co-sponsorship of 148 House members. The actual
number of House members willing to vote for the measure is much
higher. This past summer, Speaker Pelosi, consistent with her long
record in support of Armenian Genocide recognition, committed to
schedule a vote on H.Res. 252 - a vote that she described as an
expression of the American conscience - as soon as it was clear
this human rights measure enjoyed the support of a majority in the
House of Representatives. The spirit of the victims of Genocide and
the voices of the survivors and their progeny are calling on the
Speaker to bring this resolution for a vote before the 111th Congress
adjourns in the next 10 days. Armenians and all the world deserve to
know where each member of the U.S. House of Representatives stands
on this vital expression of our common American conscience. There are
some members of the House who do not want to face their conscience and
would prefer avoiding having to take a stand against a clear case of
genocide. As in the past, they will offer every manner of excuse -
some old and others invented for this occasion. The fact remains,
however, that none of these excuses should be allowed to prevent the
elected representatives of the American people from the long overdue
opportunity to vote up or down on the Armenian Genocide Resolution.
The Speaker's decision to bring H.Res. 252 to a vote will represent a
victory over the forces of denial, just as its adoption by the full
House will stand as a triumph of the truth. As you know, a vote on
Armenian Genocide resolutions by the entire House or Senate has been
blocked for more than a quarter century. Every manner of obstacle
has been thrown in the way of their adoption in 1985, 1987, 1990,
2000 and 2007 - ranging from foreign threats and domestic pressure
to parliamentary tactics and procedural motions. We look to the
Speaker to make sure that 2010 is the year this measure is brought
to the floor and adopted by the full House of Representatives. We
know Speaker Pelosi to be a woman of conscience and call upon her to
schedule a vote on H.Res.252 before the House adjourns," reads the
letter of ANCA Western and Eastern U.S. leaders.
From: A. Papazian