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Political Landscape:Survivor Stories For The Record

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  • Political Landscape:Survivor Stories For The Record

    POLITICAL LANDSCAPE: SURVIVOR STORIES FOR THE RECORD

    Glendale News Press
    May 6 2010
    CA

    Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) on Wednesday called on Armenian Genocide
    survivors and descendants to submit their stories and memories for
    inclusion into the congressional record.

    The effort parallels a congressional resolution Schiff introduced
    to recognize and commemorate the genocide carried out by the Ottoman
    Empire from 1915 to 1923. Schiff in a statement said he plans to make
    the submissions part of the nation's enduring record of congressional
    proceedings.

    "Let us fill the congressional record with the personal histories of
    those who survived the genocide and their families," he said. "While
    there are still some survivors left, we can use the official record of
    the Congress to document the first genocide of the last century. This
    can become an important resource for historians, a vital part of our
    nation's archives, and a part of the continuing effort to educate
    members of Congress as we move forward with the genocide resolution."

    The Armenian Genocide, while recognized by more than 20 nations,
    has not been formally recognized by the U.S. Congress. Schiff is the
    primary sponsor of the Affirmation of the U.S. Record on the Armenian
    Genocide, which calls on the president and government to officially
    recognize events that resulted in 1.5 million deaths as genocide.

    Schiff recently sent a letter to President Obama urging him to properly
    characterize the murder of 1.5 million Armenians as "genocide" in his
    annual April 24 statement marking the start of the genocide. Obama
    did not do so.

    Send stories to mary. hovagimian@mail. house.gov.

    Assn. of Museums honors Portantino

    Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada-Flintridge) on Tuesday
    was presented the President's Award by the California Assn. of Museums.

    In a ceremony at the state capitol, Portantino was recognized for his
    support of the state's museums and cultural institutions and for his
    legislation backing the arts community.

    Portantino said it was an honor to be recognized by state museums.

    "The arts and creative industries are major drivers for California's
    economic future and yet, their budgets have been slashed to the bone
    in these tight economic times," he said. "It used to be that arts
    were a major part of everyday schooling. But that's no longer true;
    arts classes are always the first to go."

    He recently introduced Assembly Bill 1777 to establish funding
    for nonprofit arts groups across the state. It would transfer 20%
    of sales tax collected on arts-related businesses to the fund for
    distribution by the California Arts Council.

    Health tax credits to be explained

    Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) announced that companies eligible
    for new health reform tax credits can expect to receive notices
    explaining the credits and encouraging them to take advantage of the
    tax break.

    The tax credit is especially important to getting the valley economy
    moving again, Sherman said, and there are more than 15,000 area
    companies that meet the criteria for the small business health reform
    tax credit.

    The credit is available to small businesses with 25 employees or
    fewer who have an average annual wage of $50,000 or less with health
    insurance. Companies with 10 or fewer employees and an average annual
    wage of $25,000 or less get the maximum credit, which is 35% of what
    the employer is paying for employee insurance coverage.

    It is also available to small nonprofit organizations, and is worth up
    to 25% of what the employer is paying for employee-insurance coverage.

    The maximum credit rises to 50% in 2014, and to 35% in 2014 for
    nonprofits.

    Officials push for freedom of press

    The U.S. Senate Thursday unanimously passed the Daniel Pearl Freedom
    of the Press Act, championed by Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), Mike
    Pence (R-Indiana) and Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Connecticut).

    Schiff and Pence, both of whom lead the Congressional Caucus for
    Freedom of the Press, introduced the House bill, calling for an annual
    State Department report on the status of press freedom around the
    world. Dodd introduced Senate Bill 1739 as a companion to the House
    version that now goes to the president to be signed into law.

    The legislation, which expands the examination of press freedom
    worldwide in the State Department's annual human rights practices
    report, was named for the former Wall Street Journal reporter who was
    kidnapped and killed by terrorists in Pakistan four months after the
    Sept. 11 attacks on New York City.

    The legislation requires the State Department to identify countries
    where violations of press freedom occurred; determine whether
    authorities participated in, facilitated or condoned the violations;
    report actions governments took to preserve the safety and independence
    of the media; and ensure the prosecution of those who attacked or
    murdered journalists.
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