Tweet
LEGISLATORS MARK GENOCIDE IN SENATE, HOUSE FLOOR STATEMENTS
Armenian Weekly
May 1, 2012
Diverse Remarks by Legislators Include Calls for Passage of Genocide
Resolution and Disappointment with Obama's Failure to Honor Pledge
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators and Representatives took to the floors of
their respective chambers during the week of April 24 to mark the
97th anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian Genocide and to
share with their colleagues the moral imperative to enact legislation
condemning this crime against humanity, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).
Jack Reed These remarks were in addition to the annual Capitol Hill
commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, held on April 25, which drew
over 20 Members of Congress.
In the Senate, remarks were offered by Senators Barbara Boxer
(D-Calif.), Carl Levin (D-Mich.), and Jack Reed (D-R.I.).
Representatives David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Jerry
Costello (D-Ill.), Robert Dold (R-Ill.), Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), Jesse
Jackson Jr (D-Ill.), Sander Levin (D-Mich.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.),
James McGovern (D-Mass.), Laura Richardson (D-Calif.), John Sarbanes
(D-Md.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), and Frank
Wolf (R-Va.) offered statements in the House.
Among the more compelling Senate remarks are provided below:
Sen. Jack Reed: Ninety-seven years ago, on April 24, 1915, the Young
Turk leaders of the Ottoman Empire summoned and executed over 200
Armenian community leaders and intellectuals, beginning an 8-year
campaign of oppression and massacre. By 1923, nearly 1.5 million
Armenians were killed, and over a half million survivors were exiled.
These atrocities affected the lives of every Armenian living in
Asia Minor and, indeed, throughout the world. The survivors of the
Armenian Genocide, however, persevered due to their unbreakable spirit,
their steadfast resolve, and their deep commitment to their faith and
their families. They went on to enrich their countries of emigration,
including the United States, with their centuries-old customs, their
culture, and their innate decency. To watch Reed's remarks on YouTube,
visit http://youtu.be/lEowgpWm-Xw.
Sen. Carl Levin: Mr. President, this is a week to bear witness. Today,
April 24, we mark Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day-the day on which
we remind one another of the organized campaign of deportation,
expropriation, starvation, and atrocity perpetrated by the Ottoman
Empire against its Armenian population, beginning with the detention
and eventual execution of hundreds of Armenian community members
on April 24, 1915, just as, a few days ago, we marked Holocaust
Remembrance Day, bearing witness to the attempt by Nazi Germany to
destroy Europe's Jewish population. Why do we mark these days? Because
in recognizing and condemning the horror of these acts, we affirm
our own humanity, we ensure that the victims of these atrocities will
not be forgotten, and we warn those who believe they can perpetrate
similar crimes with impunity that they will not escape the world's
notice. We remind ourselves that we must never again allow such mass
assaults against human decency without acting to stop them. And we
mark these atrocities because only by acknowledging the violence and
inhumanity can we begin the process of reconciling populations who
even today are haunted by the damage done decades ago.
Sen. Barbara Boxer: Mr. President, I rise today to solemnly recognize
the 97th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. In 1948, the General
Assembly of the United Nations passed the Convention on the Prevention
and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide based in part on the horrific
crimes perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenian people
between 1915-23. Yet, in the 63 years that have passed since the
Convention was adopted, successive U.S. administrations have refused
to call the deliberate massacre of the Armenians by what it was-a
genocide. For many years, I have urged these administrations to right
this terrible wrong, and I do so again today, calling on President
Obama to acknowledge unequivocally-as he did as a Senator-that
the Armenian Genocide is a widely documented fact supported by an
overwhelming body of historical evidence. ... There is no room for
discretion when dealing with unspeakable crimes against humanity;
genocide must be called genocide, murder must be called murder. And
every day that goes by without the U.S. acknowledgment of what happened
to the Armenian people in the early 20th century undermines the United
States' role as a beacon for human rights around the world.
Among the more compelling House remarks are provided below:
Rep. David Cicilline: Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember the 1.5
million Armenian men, women, and children who were massacred under
the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the 20th century. Each year,
Armenians throughout the world mark April 24 as Genocide Remembrance
Day by honoring those who perished from 1915 to 1923, and I join my
friends and colleagues in remembering the victims today. It's important
to raise awareness about the Armenian Genocide not only because it is
an undeniable chapter in world history, but also because learning more
about this horrific tragedy underscores the importance of eliminating
intolerance and bigotry wherever it occurs. To watch Cicilline's
remarks on YouTube, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl8Prah7Np0.
Rep. Jim Costa: Growing up in Fresno, Calif., the place William
Saroyan, a great American author of Armenian descent, called home, I
heard the stories of this tragic time between 1915 and 1923. The sons
and daughters of survivors, time and time again, told the stories of
their families. The facts are clear. What happened 97 years ago can
only be called by one name: genocide, the first genocide of the 20th
century. Yet after nearly a century, the House of Representatives and
current and past American presidents have refused to recognize the
Armenian Genocide as such. We cannot wait for a convenient moment,
for it's not a convenient truth. Man's inhumanity to mankind never is.
Now is the time to pass House Resolution 304 that I am a cosponsor
of and formally recognize the Armenian Genocide. To watch Costa's
remarks on YouTube, visit http://youtu.be/6HSGXMNraiM.
Rep. Jerry Costello: Mr. Speaker, I stand to commemorate the Armenian
Genocide on the 97th anniversary of its occurrence. It is unfortunate,
however, that once again I do so without an official recognition
on behalf of the American government. As I have said in years past,
the undeniable genocidal actions by the Ottoman Empire against its
Armenian citizens deserve official recognition from the American
government. 1.5 million Armenians were killed, the first genocide of
the 20th century. As a member of the House Armenian Issues Caucus, I
have co-sponsored legislation to affirm the U.S. position on Armenian
Genocide and will continue to urge my colleagues in Congress and
the Obama Administration to support this position. As we mourn the
lives of those lost, it is important to recognize the resilience
and incredible strides the Armenian people have made in recovering
from that unspeakable past. I stand in solidarity with the Armenian
people and renew my commitment to pursuing a future of reconciliation
and peace.
Rep. Robert Dold: Madam Speaker, about 97 years ago, the government of
the Ottoman Empire killed over 1.5 million people during the Armenian
Genocide. The Turkish state has never accepted responsibility for the
acts of its predecessor government and maintains that the genocide
never took place. For the past 90 years, the Armenian people have
sought justice, yet the Turkish government has continued to actively
obstruct any attempt to recognize what has happened to the Armenian
people. The United States can help bring closure to this longstanding
moral issue by recognizing the Armenian Genocide. To watch Dold's
remarks on YouTube, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uButCnKk7o.
Rep. Anna Eshoo: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and
commemorate a solemn occasion of deep personal significance. Today
marks 97 years since the infamous episode in which the Ottoman Empire
began rounding up and murdering Armenian intellectuals and community
leaders in Constantinople. By 1923, some 1.5 million Armenian women,
children, and men were dead from a systematic campaign we now know as
the Armenian Genocide, or Great Crime. Their lives ended in the most
brutal ways imaginable, subjected to death marches, burnings, rape,
and forced starvation. Some 500,000 Armenians who did survive-my own
grandparents among them-were forced into exile. Like others whose
families experienced this tragedy first-hand, I did not first learn
of the Armenian Genocide in history books. I learned about it from my
own grandmother as she recounted the murders of priests and her flight
from the only home she knew. We must be clear: There is no doubt to
the fact that the Armenian Genocide took place. There is no credible
historian who can dispute it, and there is no evidence that detracts
from its horror and magnitude. What's missing is a moral clarity as
penetrating as the facts themselves, and a willingness in this House
and in our government to acknowledge the Genocide.
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.: Mr. Speaker, the atrocities committed during
this period must never be forgotten. We cannot allow events such as
these to be swept under the rug or we face the sad outcome of denying
ourselves the ability to learn from the mistakes of our past. We must
shape a brighter future for the global community. It is an absolute
injustice to the Armenian people, as well as the global community,
to refer to this atrocity as anything other than what it was: genocide.
And the unfortunate truth is that the Armenian people are not the
only ethnic group to be subjected to such an experience.
Rep. Sander Levin: Ninety-seven years ago, the government of the
Ottoman Empire started a ruthless and systematic campaign of genocide
against the Armenian people. Beginning with the targeted execution
of 300 Armenian leaders, this intentional attempt at extermination
ultimately claimed the lives of over 1.5 million people and forcibly
exiled another 500,000. And despite these chilling numbers and a clear
historical record of fact, there remains a failure to acknowledge
this vast human tragedy for what it truly is: genocide.
That is why it is essential that we continue to speak out and solemnly
commemorate the Armenian Genocide. Accordingly, I am proud to support
a resolution this session of Congress that affirms the U.S. record
on the Armenian Genocide and honors its victims and survivors. By
acknowledging this dark chapter of human history, we help protect
against the possible creation of a violent culture of impunity. We
cannot allow past acts of evil to be erased from our collective
consciousness if we are to prevent similar tragedies from occurring
in the future.
Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA): I am very proud to represent the 7th district
of Massachusetts because my district includes the community with the
third highest percentage of Armenian Americans in the Nation. ...
Between 1915 and 1923, the Ottoman Empire carried out the deportation
of nearly 2 million Armenians from their homes, resulting in the
deaths of 1.5 million innocent children, women, and men. This must
never happen again. In order to prevent future genocides, we must
recognize those of the past. For many years the House has had before
it a resolution which clearly affirms the United States record on the
Armenian Genocide. I have been a strong supporter and vocal co-sponsor
of this resolution in every Congress, and I remain so today. Almost
100 years have passed since the Armenian Genocide, yet the suffering
will continue for Armenians and non-Armenians alike as long as the
world allows denial to prevail.
Rep. Jim McGovern: Every year I have been in Congress, I have marked
this solemn anniversary remembering the victims of this genocide and
the expulsion of tens of thousands of Armenians from their homes
and homeland, and honoring the survivors of one of the greatest
tragedies of the 20th century. These survivors and their descendants
have helped awaken and teach the world to the horrors of genocide
and the necessity of standing up to the forces of denial. This year,
however, Mr. Speaker, I come before this House angry and frustrated
by the refusal of my own government to recognize and identify the
events from 1915 to 1923 as the Armenian Genocide. It doesn't seem
to make a difference if the White House is occupied by a Republican
or a Democrat; no one has the political courage to call the Armenian
Genocide by name. I am always told that now is not the right time to
take such an action. When will be the right time, Mr. Speaker? When the
last survivor, the last eye-witness to the genocide has passed away?
Rep. Laura Richardson: Mr. Speaker, the historical record is clear
and the Armenian Genocide is a tragic fact. It must be acknowledged
and remembered so that it will never be repeated. As a member of the
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, I know that the refusal of
modern-day Turkey to acknowledge one of the worst examples of man's
inhumanity in the 20th century haunts survivors of the Armenian
Genocide, as well as their families. As a Member of Congress from
California, which is home to more Armenian Americans than any other
state, I believe this is not only an affront to the memory of the
victims and to their descendants, but it does a disservice to the
United States as it seeks to stand up for the victims of violence
today. The issue of recognizing the Armenian Genocide and helping the
Armenian people is neither a partisan nor geopolitical issue. Rather,
it is a question of giving the Armenian people the justice they
deserve. In doing so, we affirm the dignity of humankind everywhere.
Rep. John Sarbanes: When faced with the deeply compelling research and
scholarship surrounding the Armenian Genocide, it is wholly untenable
to assert that the genocide did not occur. Instead, many in Congress
offer the protest that recognition would harm our relationship with
Turkey and undermine our broader geo-strategic interests. Others
suggest weakly that it is just not the right time to push the issue
of recognition. The result is the same: the continued failure on the
part of the United States to do the right thing. This failure puts
salt on the wounds of the Armenian people. But it does more than
that. It corrodes the moral standing of our nation as a whole.
Rep. Chris Van Hollen: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate
the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. It was 97 years ago today
that over 1.5 million men, women, and children, almost 75 percent of
the pre-war Armenian population, were brutally exterminated by the
Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman authorities arrested and later murdered
over 250 Armenian political, intellectual, and religious leaders in
Istanbul, beginning a horrific and systematic campaign to wipe a 3,000
year-old community from the face of the earth. ... And yet, despite
clear evidence that genocide occurred, many officials today refuse
to even to use the word genocide when referring to this incident. By
equivocating, they not only dishonor the victims of this atrocity
and their descendents, they increase the chance that other crimes
against humanity are met with similar equivocation.
Rep. Henry Waxman: Mr. Speaker, today, we gather to remember the
genocide against the Armenian people. Although the generation that
experienced these atrocities has passed, their suffering has been
prolonged by the continued efforts to silence their cries and deny
that a genocide occurred. When words can help bring comfort to those
who suffer, silence isolates and inflicts pain. When time marches
forward and history becomes more distant, silence erodes the memory of
those who were lost. When affirmation and recognition could prevent
such a tragedy from being repeated, silence allows the perpetrators
of genocide to assume their actions will meet neither obstacle nor
objection. Thus, the ongoing efforts of the Turkish leadership to
silence discussion of the Armenian genocide inflict yet another
cruelty. ... Today, we will not be silent.
Rep. Frank Wolf: This year's observance of the anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide is especially meaningful. In December 2011, the
House of Representatives adopted H. Res. 306, which I was pleased
to cosponsor. The resolution calls on the secretary of state to urge
Turkey to end religious discrimination and return all Christian places
of worship and religious artifacts to their rightful owners. Thousands
of these sacred sites and artifacts were confiscated by the Ottoman
Empire during and after the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Weekly
May 1, 2012
Diverse Remarks by Legislators Include Calls for Passage of Genocide
Resolution and Disappointment with Obama's Failure to Honor Pledge
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators and Representatives took to the floors of
their respective chambers during the week of April 24 to mark the
97th anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian Genocide and to
share with their colleagues the moral imperative to enact legislation
condemning this crime against humanity, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).
Jack Reed These remarks were in addition to the annual Capitol Hill
commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, held on April 25, which drew
over 20 Members of Congress.
In the Senate, remarks were offered by Senators Barbara Boxer
(D-Calif.), Carl Levin (D-Mich.), and Jack Reed (D-R.I.).
Representatives David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Jerry
Costello (D-Ill.), Robert Dold (R-Ill.), Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), Jesse
Jackson Jr (D-Ill.), Sander Levin (D-Mich.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.),
James McGovern (D-Mass.), Laura Richardson (D-Calif.), John Sarbanes
(D-Md.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), and Frank
Wolf (R-Va.) offered statements in the House.
Among the more compelling Senate remarks are provided below:
Sen. Jack Reed: Ninety-seven years ago, on April 24, 1915, the Young
Turk leaders of the Ottoman Empire summoned and executed over 200
Armenian community leaders and intellectuals, beginning an 8-year
campaign of oppression and massacre. By 1923, nearly 1.5 million
Armenians were killed, and over a half million survivors were exiled.
These atrocities affected the lives of every Armenian living in
Asia Minor and, indeed, throughout the world. The survivors of the
Armenian Genocide, however, persevered due to their unbreakable spirit,
their steadfast resolve, and their deep commitment to their faith and
their families. They went on to enrich their countries of emigration,
including the United States, with their centuries-old customs, their
culture, and their innate decency. To watch Reed's remarks on YouTube,
visit http://youtu.be/lEowgpWm-Xw.
Sen. Carl Levin: Mr. President, this is a week to bear witness. Today,
April 24, we mark Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day-the day on which
we remind one another of the organized campaign of deportation,
expropriation, starvation, and atrocity perpetrated by the Ottoman
Empire against its Armenian population, beginning with the detention
and eventual execution of hundreds of Armenian community members
on April 24, 1915, just as, a few days ago, we marked Holocaust
Remembrance Day, bearing witness to the attempt by Nazi Germany to
destroy Europe's Jewish population. Why do we mark these days? Because
in recognizing and condemning the horror of these acts, we affirm
our own humanity, we ensure that the victims of these atrocities will
not be forgotten, and we warn those who believe they can perpetrate
similar crimes with impunity that they will not escape the world's
notice. We remind ourselves that we must never again allow such mass
assaults against human decency without acting to stop them. And we
mark these atrocities because only by acknowledging the violence and
inhumanity can we begin the process of reconciling populations who
even today are haunted by the damage done decades ago.
Sen. Barbara Boxer: Mr. President, I rise today to solemnly recognize
the 97th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. In 1948, the General
Assembly of the United Nations passed the Convention on the Prevention
and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide based in part on the horrific
crimes perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenian people
between 1915-23. Yet, in the 63 years that have passed since the
Convention was adopted, successive U.S. administrations have refused
to call the deliberate massacre of the Armenians by what it was-a
genocide. For many years, I have urged these administrations to right
this terrible wrong, and I do so again today, calling on President
Obama to acknowledge unequivocally-as he did as a Senator-that
the Armenian Genocide is a widely documented fact supported by an
overwhelming body of historical evidence. ... There is no room for
discretion when dealing with unspeakable crimes against humanity;
genocide must be called genocide, murder must be called murder. And
every day that goes by without the U.S. acknowledgment of what happened
to the Armenian people in the early 20th century undermines the United
States' role as a beacon for human rights around the world.
Among the more compelling House remarks are provided below:
Rep. David Cicilline: Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember the 1.5
million Armenian men, women, and children who were massacred under
the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the 20th century. Each year,
Armenians throughout the world mark April 24 as Genocide Remembrance
Day by honoring those who perished from 1915 to 1923, and I join my
friends and colleagues in remembering the victims today. It's important
to raise awareness about the Armenian Genocide not only because it is
an undeniable chapter in world history, but also because learning more
about this horrific tragedy underscores the importance of eliminating
intolerance and bigotry wherever it occurs. To watch Cicilline's
remarks on YouTube, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl8Prah7Np0.
Rep. Jim Costa: Growing up in Fresno, Calif., the place William
Saroyan, a great American author of Armenian descent, called home, I
heard the stories of this tragic time between 1915 and 1923. The sons
and daughters of survivors, time and time again, told the stories of
their families. The facts are clear. What happened 97 years ago can
only be called by one name: genocide, the first genocide of the 20th
century. Yet after nearly a century, the House of Representatives and
current and past American presidents have refused to recognize the
Armenian Genocide as such. We cannot wait for a convenient moment,
for it's not a convenient truth. Man's inhumanity to mankind never is.
Now is the time to pass House Resolution 304 that I am a cosponsor
of and formally recognize the Armenian Genocide. To watch Costa's
remarks on YouTube, visit http://youtu.be/6HSGXMNraiM.
Rep. Jerry Costello: Mr. Speaker, I stand to commemorate the Armenian
Genocide on the 97th anniversary of its occurrence. It is unfortunate,
however, that once again I do so without an official recognition
on behalf of the American government. As I have said in years past,
the undeniable genocidal actions by the Ottoman Empire against its
Armenian citizens deserve official recognition from the American
government. 1.5 million Armenians were killed, the first genocide of
the 20th century. As a member of the House Armenian Issues Caucus, I
have co-sponsored legislation to affirm the U.S. position on Armenian
Genocide and will continue to urge my colleagues in Congress and
the Obama Administration to support this position. As we mourn the
lives of those lost, it is important to recognize the resilience
and incredible strides the Armenian people have made in recovering
from that unspeakable past. I stand in solidarity with the Armenian
people and renew my commitment to pursuing a future of reconciliation
and peace.
Rep. Robert Dold: Madam Speaker, about 97 years ago, the government of
the Ottoman Empire killed over 1.5 million people during the Armenian
Genocide. The Turkish state has never accepted responsibility for the
acts of its predecessor government and maintains that the genocide
never took place. For the past 90 years, the Armenian people have
sought justice, yet the Turkish government has continued to actively
obstruct any attempt to recognize what has happened to the Armenian
people. The United States can help bring closure to this longstanding
moral issue by recognizing the Armenian Genocide. To watch Dold's
remarks on YouTube, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uButCnKk7o.
Rep. Anna Eshoo: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and
commemorate a solemn occasion of deep personal significance. Today
marks 97 years since the infamous episode in which the Ottoman Empire
began rounding up and murdering Armenian intellectuals and community
leaders in Constantinople. By 1923, some 1.5 million Armenian women,
children, and men were dead from a systematic campaign we now know as
the Armenian Genocide, or Great Crime. Their lives ended in the most
brutal ways imaginable, subjected to death marches, burnings, rape,
and forced starvation. Some 500,000 Armenians who did survive-my own
grandparents among them-were forced into exile. Like others whose
families experienced this tragedy first-hand, I did not first learn
of the Armenian Genocide in history books. I learned about it from my
own grandmother as she recounted the murders of priests and her flight
from the only home she knew. We must be clear: There is no doubt to
the fact that the Armenian Genocide took place. There is no credible
historian who can dispute it, and there is no evidence that detracts
from its horror and magnitude. What's missing is a moral clarity as
penetrating as the facts themselves, and a willingness in this House
and in our government to acknowledge the Genocide.
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.: Mr. Speaker, the atrocities committed during
this period must never be forgotten. We cannot allow events such as
these to be swept under the rug or we face the sad outcome of denying
ourselves the ability to learn from the mistakes of our past. We must
shape a brighter future for the global community. It is an absolute
injustice to the Armenian people, as well as the global community,
to refer to this atrocity as anything other than what it was: genocide.
And the unfortunate truth is that the Armenian people are not the
only ethnic group to be subjected to such an experience.
Rep. Sander Levin: Ninety-seven years ago, the government of the
Ottoman Empire started a ruthless and systematic campaign of genocide
against the Armenian people. Beginning with the targeted execution
of 300 Armenian leaders, this intentional attempt at extermination
ultimately claimed the lives of over 1.5 million people and forcibly
exiled another 500,000. And despite these chilling numbers and a clear
historical record of fact, there remains a failure to acknowledge
this vast human tragedy for what it truly is: genocide.
That is why it is essential that we continue to speak out and solemnly
commemorate the Armenian Genocide. Accordingly, I am proud to support
a resolution this session of Congress that affirms the U.S. record
on the Armenian Genocide and honors its victims and survivors. By
acknowledging this dark chapter of human history, we help protect
against the possible creation of a violent culture of impunity. We
cannot allow past acts of evil to be erased from our collective
consciousness if we are to prevent similar tragedies from occurring
in the future.
Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA): I am very proud to represent the 7th district
of Massachusetts because my district includes the community with the
third highest percentage of Armenian Americans in the Nation. ...
Between 1915 and 1923, the Ottoman Empire carried out the deportation
of nearly 2 million Armenians from their homes, resulting in the
deaths of 1.5 million innocent children, women, and men. This must
never happen again. In order to prevent future genocides, we must
recognize those of the past. For many years the House has had before
it a resolution which clearly affirms the United States record on the
Armenian Genocide. I have been a strong supporter and vocal co-sponsor
of this resolution in every Congress, and I remain so today. Almost
100 years have passed since the Armenian Genocide, yet the suffering
will continue for Armenians and non-Armenians alike as long as the
world allows denial to prevail.
Rep. Jim McGovern: Every year I have been in Congress, I have marked
this solemn anniversary remembering the victims of this genocide and
the expulsion of tens of thousands of Armenians from their homes
and homeland, and honoring the survivors of one of the greatest
tragedies of the 20th century. These survivors and their descendants
have helped awaken and teach the world to the horrors of genocide
and the necessity of standing up to the forces of denial. This year,
however, Mr. Speaker, I come before this House angry and frustrated
by the refusal of my own government to recognize and identify the
events from 1915 to 1923 as the Armenian Genocide. It doesn't seem
to make a difference if the White House is occupied by a Republican
or a Democrat; no one has the political courage to call the Armenian
Genocide by name. I am always told that now is not the right time to
take such an action. When will be the right time, Mr. Speaker? When the
last survivor, the last eye-witness to the genocide has passed away?
Rep. Laura Richardson: Mr. Speaker, the historical record is clear
and the Armenian Genocide is a tragic fact. It must be acknowledged
and remembered so that it will never be repeated. As a member of the
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, I know that the refusal of
modern-day Turkey to acknowledge one of the worst examples of man's
inhumanity in the 20th century haunts survivors of the Armenian
Genocide, as well as their families. As a Member of Congress from
California, which is home to more Armenian Americans than any other
state, I believe this is not only an affront to the memory of the
victims and to their descendants, but it does a disservice to the
United States as it seeks to stand up for the victims of violence
today. The issue of recognizing the Armenian Genocide and helping the
Armenian people is neither a partisan nor geopolitical issue. Rather,
it is a question of giving the Armenian people the justice they
deserve. In doing so, we affirm the dignity of humankind everywhere.
Rep. John Sarbanes: When faced with the deeply compelling research and
scholarship surrounding the Armenian Genocide, it is wholly untenable
to assert that the genocide did not occur. Instead, many in Congress
offer the protest that recognition would harm our relationship with
Turkey and undermine our broader geo-strategic interests. Others
suggest weakly that it is just not the right time to push the issue
of recognition. The result is the same: the continued failure on the
part of the United States to do the right thing. This failure puts
salt on the wounds of the Armenian people. But it does more than
that. It corrodes the moral standing of our nation as a whole.
Rep. Chris Van Hollen: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate
the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. It was 97 years ago today
that over 1.5 million men, women, and children, almost 75 percent of
the pre-war Armenian population, were brutally exterminated by the
Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman authorities arrested and later murdered
over 250 Armenian political, intellectual, and religious leaders in
Istanbul, beginning a horrific and systematic campaign to wipe a 3,000
year-old community from the face of the earth. ... And yet, despite
clear evidence that genocide occurred, many officials today refuse
to even to use the word genocide when referring to this incident. By
equivocating, they not only dishonor the victims of this atrocity
and their descendents, they increase the chance that other crimes
against humanity are met with similar equivocation.
Rep. Henry Waxman: Mr. Speaker, today, we gather to remember the
genocide against the Armenian people. Although the generation that
experienced these atrocities has passed, their suffering has been
prolonged by the continued efforts to silence their cries and deny
that a genocide occurred. When words can help bring comfort to those
who suffer, silence isolates and inflicts pain. When time marches
forward and history becomes more distant, silence erodes the memory of
those who were lost. When affirmation and recognition could prevent
such a tragedy from being repeated, silence allows the perpetrators
of genocide to assume their actions will meet neither obstacle nor
objection. Thus, the ongoing efforts of the Turkish leadership to
silence discussion of the Armenian genocide inflict yet another
cruelty. ... Today, we will not be silent.
Rep. Frank Wolf: This year's observance of the anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide is especially meaningful. In December 2011, the
House of Representatives adopted H. Res. 306, which I was pleased
to cosponsor. The resolution calls on the secretary of state to urge
Turkey to end religious discrimination and return all Christian places
of worship and religious artifacts to their rightful owners. Thousands
of these sacred sites and artifacts were confiscated by the Ottoman
Empire during and after the Armenian Genocide