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PRESS RELEASE
Date: September 19, 2014
FLORIDA ARMENIANS
Contact: Taniel Koushakjian
Email: [email protected]
Florida's House Delegation Split on Supporting President Obama's Call to
Arm Syrian Rebels
Senate Confirms Next U.S. Ambassador to Turkey; Vote on Nominees to
Yerevan, Baku Expected in December
By Taniel Koushakjian
FLArmenians Managing Editor
This week, the House and Senate considered measures concerning the Armenian
American community. Congress was expected to pass a Continuing Resolution
(CR) to avoid a government shutdown on September 30th, when current funding
is set to expire. However, after President Obama's primetime address on
September 10th calling for the arming of Syrian rebels, the House voted on
a measure to do just that and attached it as an amendment to the CR,
setting up a complex and very interesting pattern of voting.
In what Roll Call described as a vote `fractured along untraditional
[party] lines,' the House approved the CR 319-108, and 273-156 on the
amendment to arm Syrian rebels. 143 Democrats joined 176 Republicans in
support of the CR, while 55 Democrats and 53 Republicans opposed. On the
Syria amendment, 159 Republicans were joined by 114 Democrats in support of
the measure, while 85 Republicans and 71 Democrats opposed.
According to several interviews with Armenian American community leaders
across the United States, an overwhelming majority support US airstrikes
against ISIL. However, they do not support President Obama's call to train
and arm Syrian rebel factions, especially in the wake of the Turkish-backed
rebel assault on the Christian Armenian town of Kessab, Syria earlier this
year.
An analysis by Florida Armenians reveals that House Veterans Affairs
Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (R-FL), and Congressmen Alan Grayson (D-FL),
and David Jolly (R-FL) voted against arming Syrian rebels, yet supported
the CR.
Republican Congressmen Ted Yoho (R-FL), Ron DeSantis (R-FL), Bill Posey
(R-FL), Richard Nugent (R-FL), Tom Rooney (R-FL), and Curt Clawson (R-FL)
voted against both the amendment arming Syrian rebels and the CR.
Interestingly, Democratic Congressman Alcee Hasting (D-FL), a member of the
Congressional Black Caucus, and Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL), opposed President
Obama on both the Syrian amendment and the CR.
Everyone else stood with President Obama in supporting the amendment to arm
Syrian rebels and for the CR.
While it is clear that Armenian Americans support the President's vow to
`destroy and ultimately defeat ISIL,' they are wary of training and arming
Islamic rebel factions with known ties to al-Qaeda and that have a record
of attacking Christians just like ISIL.
Florida Armenians have an important role to play in this debate. Many
Armenian American families in Florida emigrated from Syria, mostly
descendants of the 1915 Armenian Genocide. Some still have relatives there.
They are uniquely familiar with the regional dynamics and can provide
critical insight into what groups truly respect and protect and respect
religious minorities, be they Christian Armenian, Assyrian, or Yezidi.
Ambassador Nominees to Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey
On Wednesday, the Senate voted 98-0 to confirm John R. Bass as the next
U.S. ambassador to Turkey. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman
Robert Menendez (D-NJ), and Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Mark Kirk
(R-FL), and Ed Markey (D-MA) submitted to the nominee questions on the
Armenian Genocide and Turkey's blockade of Armenia. "We commend Chairman
Menendez, and Senators Barbara Boxer, Mark Kirk and Ed Markey for their
stance on issues concerning Turkey's denial of the Armenian Genocide, the
Turkish-Azerbaijani blockade of Armenia, and other critical issues
affecting the region," stated Armenian Assembly of America Executive
Director Bryan Ardouny. "Following in the footsteps of Henry Morgenthau,
the U.S. ambassador to the Ottoman Empire who in 1915 alerted the world to
the Armenian Genocide, it is important that our Foreign Service officers
execute a foreign policy that appropriately reflects America's values," he
said.
Both Florida Senators Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) supported
Bass' nomination without question.
Also on Wednesday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee heard testimony
from President Obama's nominees to be the next U.S. ambassador to Armenia
and Azerbaijan, Richard M. Mills and Robert F. Cekuta, respectively. Both
are expected to be confirmed by the full Senate sometime during the
lame-duck session, which is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, November 12th.
Available online at: http://bit.ly/1DnbBwF
Date: September 19, 2014
FLORIDA ARMENIANS
Contact: Taniel Koushakjian
Email: [email protected]
Florida's House Delegation Split on Supporting President Obama's Call to
Arm Syrian Rebels
Senate Confirms Next U.S. Ambassador to Turkey; Vote on Nominees to
Yerevan, Baku Expected in December
By Taniel Koushakjian
FLArmenians Managing Editor
This week, the House and Senate considered measures concerning the Armenian
American community. Congress was expected to pass a Continuing Resolution
(CR) to avoid a government shutdown on September 30th, when current funding
is set to expire. However, after President Obama's primetime address on
September 10th calling for the arming of Syrian rebels, the House voted on
a measure to do just that and attached it as an amendment to the CR,
setting up a complex and very interesting pattern of voting.
In what Roll Call described as a vote `fractured along untraditional
[party] lines,' the House approved the CR 319-108, and 273-156 on the
amendment to arm Syrian rebels. 143 Democrats joined 176 Republicans in
support of the CR, while 55 Democrats and 53 Republicans opposed. On the
Syria amendment, 159 Republicans were joined by 114 Democrats in support of
the measure, while 85 Republicans and 71 Democrats opposed.
According to several interviews with Armenian American community leaders
across the United States, an overwhelming majority support US airstrikes
against ISIL. However, they do not support President Obama's call to train
and arm Syrian rebel factions, especially in the wake of the Turkish-backed
rebel assault on the Christian Armenian town of Kessab, Syria earlier this
year.
An analysis by Florida Armenians reveals that House Veterans Affairs
Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (R-FL), and Congressmen Alan Grayson (D-FL),
and David Jolly (R-FL) voted against arming Syrian rebels, yet supported
the CR.
Republican Congressmen Ted Yoho (R-FL), Ron DeSantis (R-FL), Bill Posey
(R-FL), Richard Nugent (R-FL), Tom Rooney (R-FL), and Curt Clawson (R-FL)
voted against both the amendment arming Syrian rebels and the CR.
Interestingly, Democratic Congressman Alcee Hasting (D-FL), a member of the
Congressional Black Caucus, and Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL), opposed President
Obama on both the Syrian amendment and the CR.
Everyone else stood with President Obama in supporting the amendment to arm
Syrian rebels and for the CR.
While it is clear that Armenian Americans support the President's vow to
`destroy and ultimately defeat ISIL,' they are wary of training and arming
Islamic rebel factions with known ties to al-Qaeda and that have a record
of attacking Christians just like ISIL.
Florida Armenians have an important role to play in this debate. Many
Armenian American families in Florida emigrated from Syria, mostly
descendants of the 1915 Armenian Genocide. Some still have relatives there.
They are uniquely familiar with the regional dynamics and can provide
critical insight into what groups truly respect and protect and respect
religious minorities, be they Christian Armenian, Assyrian, or Yezidi.
Ambassador Nominees to Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey
On Wednesday, the Senate voted 98-0 to confirm John R. Bass as the next
U.S. ambassador to Turkey. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman
Robert Menendez (D-NJ), and Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Mark Kirk
(R-FL), and Ed Markey (D-MA) submitted to the nominee questions on the
Armenian Genocide and Turkey's blockade of Armenia. "We commend Chairman
Menendez, and Senators Barbara Boxer, Mark Kirk and Ed Markey for their
stance on issues concerning Turkey's denial of the Armenian Genocide, the
Turkish-Azerbaijani blockade of Armenia, and other critical issues
affecting the region," stated Armenian Assembly of America Executive
Director Bryan Ardouny. "Following in the footsteps of Henry Morgenthau,
the U.S. ambassador to the Ottoman Empire who in 1915 alerted the world to
the Armenian Genocide, it is important that our Foreign Service officers
execute a foreign policy that appropriately reflects America's values," he
said.
Both Florida Senators Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) supported
Bass' nomination without question.
Also on Wednesday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee heard testimony
from President Obama's nominees to be the next U.S. ambassador to Armenia
and Azerbaijan, Richard M. Mills and Robert F. Cekuta, respectively. Both
are expected to be confirmed by the full Senate sometime during the
lame-duck session, which is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, November 12th.
Available online at: http://bit.ly/1DnbBwF