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U.S. Representatives Press Obama to Recognize Armenian Genocide
By Contributor on April 4, 2015 in News
Representatives Join Senators in Sending Bipartisan Letters to the White House
WASHINGTON--Members of the U.S. House of Representatives have sent a
bipartisan letter to President Barack Obama, encouraging him, this
April, to properly affirm the Armenian Genocide as a clear case of
genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
"We thank members of both the U.S. House and Senate for their
bipartisan efforts to encourage President Obama to speak openly and
honestly about the Armenian Genocide during this April's Centennial
observance," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "Special
thanks to Congressman Pallone and Dold for leading this effort, and to
each signatory of this Armenian Caucus letter."
Congressional Armenian Caucus co-chairs Robert Dold (R-Ill.) and Frank
Pallone (D-N.J.)
The House letter, spearheaded by Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Robert
Dold (R-Ill.) and Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), echoed language from Obama's
campaign promise to recognize the Armenian Genocide: "A clear
recognition of the Armenian Genocide, particularly in this centennial
year, would affirm that the Armenian Genocide is not an allegation, a
personal opinion, or a point of view, but rather a widely documented
fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence." They
added, "A principled presidential statement clearly citing the
Armenian Genocide would help strengthen condemnations of the past, and
recognize the important relationship the United States shares with
Armenia today."
Joining the Congressional Armenian Caucus co-chairs in signing the
letter are Representatives Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Gus Bilirakis
(R-Fla.), Dave Brat (R-Va.), Tony Cardenas (D-Calif.), Judy Chu
(D-Calif.), David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Mike
Coffman (R-Colo.), John Conyers (D-Mich.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Jeff
Denham (R-Calif.), Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), Steve
Israel (D-N.Y.), Joe Kennedy (D-Mass.), James Langevin (D-R.I.),
Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Sander Levin (D-Mich.), Ted Lieu (D-Calif.),
Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.), Carolyn Maloney
(D-N.Y.), Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.),
James McGovern (D-Mass.), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Grace Napolitano
(D-Calif.), Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.), Collin
Peterson (D-Minn.), Jared Polis (D-Colo.), Lucille Roybal-Allard
(D-Calif.), Edward Royce (R-Calif.), Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.), Loretta
Sanchez (D-Calif.), John Sarbanes (D-Md.), Janice Schakowsky (D-Ill.),
Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), Christopher Smith
(R-N.J.), Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Paul Tonko
(D-N.Y.), David Trott (R-Mich.), Niki Tsongas (D-Mass.), David Valadao
(R-Calif.), and Christopher Van Hollen (D-Md.).
A U.S. House resolution, H.Res.154.--the Armenian Genocide Truth and
Justice Resolution seeking improved Armenian-Turkish relations based
on justice for this crime--has 50 cosponsors.
A similar Senate letter, led by Senators Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and
Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), noted that: "While the United States Congress
has a long history of support for the victims and the memory of the
Armenian Genocide, the Administration has not formally recognized the
atrocities that were perpetrated against the Armenians as 'genocide.'"
The Senate signatories stressed that a principled stand by the
president would "send a powerful signal to the international community
that this Administration is committed to recognizing the Armenian
Genocide, to upholding the ideals of tolerance and universal human
rights upon which our country was founded, and to preventing similar
atrocities from ever happening again."
The text of the Congressional Armenian Genocide Centennial Letter to
Obama is available here:
http://www.anca.org/assets/pdf/misc/040215_House_Genocide_Letter.pdf
http://armenianweekly.com/2015/04/04/u-s-representatives-letter/
By Contributor on April 4, 2015 in News
Representatives Join Senators in Sending Bipartisan Letters to the White House
WASHINGTON--Members of the U.S. House of Representatives have sent a
bipartisan letter to President Barack Obama, encouraging him, this
April, to properly affirm the Armenian Genocide as a clear case of
genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
"We thank members of both the U.S. House and Senate for their
bipartisan efforts to encourage President Obama to speak openly and
honestly about the Armenian Genocide during this April's Centennial
observance," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "Special
thanks to Congressman Pallone and Dold for leading this effort, and to
each signatory of this Armenian Caucus letter."
Congressional Armenian Caucus co-chairs Robert Dold (R-Ill.) and Frank
Pallone (D-N.J.)
The House letter, spearheaded by Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Robert
Dold (R-Ill.) and Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), echoed language from Obama's
campaign promise to recognize the Armenian Genocide: "A clear
recognition of the Armenian Genocide, particularly in this centennial
year, would affirm that the Armenian Genocide is not an allegation, a
personal opinion, or a point of view, but rather a widely documented
fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence." They
added, "A principled presidential statement clearly citing the
Armenian Genocide would help strengthen condemnations of the past, and
recognize the important relationship the United States shares with
Armenia today."
Joining the Congressional Armenian Caucus co-chairs in signing the
letter are Representatives Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Gus Bilirakis
(R-Fla.), Dave Brat (R-Va.), Tony Cardenas (D-Calif.), Judy Chu
(D-Calif.), David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Mike
Coffman (R-Colo.), John Conyers (D-Mich.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Jeff
Denham (R-Calif.), Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), Steve
Israel (D-N.Y.), Joe Kennedy (D-Mass.), James Langevin (D-R.I.),
Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Sander Levin (D-Mich.), Ted Lieu (D-Calif.),
Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.), Carolyn Maloney
(D-N.Y.), Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.),
James McGovern (D-Mass.), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Grace Napolitano
(D-Calif.), Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.), Collin
Peterson (D-Minn.), Jared Polis (D-Colo.), Lucille Roybal-Allard
(D-Calif.), Edward Royce (R-Calif.), Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.), Loretta
Sanchez (D-Calif.), John Sarbanes (D-Md.), Janice Schakowsky (D-Ill.),
Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), Christopher Smith
(R-N.J.), Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Paul Tonko
(D-N.Y.), David Trott (R-Mich.), Niki Tsongas (D-Mass.), David Valadao
(R-Calif.), and Christopher Van Hollen (D-Md.).
A U.S. House resolution, H.Res.154.--the Armenian Genocide Truth and
Justice Resolution seeking improved Armenian-Turkish relations based
on justice for this crime--has 50 cosponsors.
A similar Senate letter, led by Senators Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and
Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), noted that: "While the United States Congress
has a long history of support for the victims and the memory of the
Armenian Genocide, the Administration has not formally recognized the
atrocities that were perpetrated against the Armenians as 'genocide.'"
The Senate signatories stressed that a principled stand by the
president would "send a powerful signal to the international community
that this Administration is committed to recognizing the Armenian
Genocide, to upholding the ideals of tolerance and universal human
rights upon which our country was founded, and to preventing similar
atrocities from ever happening again."
The text of the Congressional Armenian Genocide Centennial Letter to
Obama is available here:
http://www.anca.org/assets/pdf/misc/040215_House_Genocide_Letter.pdf
http://armenianweekly.com/2015/04/04/u-s-representatives-letter/