Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St., NW, Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
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PRESS RELEASE
August 24, 2004
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
ARMENIAN AMERICANS DELIVER UNITED
MESSAGE TO U.S. HOUSE LEADERSHIP
— Grassroots Organizations Protest Congressional
Opposition to Genocide Legislation
WASHINGTON, DC – More than a dozen national grassroots Armenian
American organizations came together this week to communicate the
“extraordinary disappointment” of the Armenian American community
over the Congressional leadership’s opposition to legislation
recognizing the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National
Committee Of America (ANCA).
“We have seen, in recent weeks, a tremendous groundswell of
opposition from across the Armenian American community to the
Congressional leadership’s attack on the Schiff Amendment, and
their stubborn refusal – despite the strong, bipartisan support
enjoyed by the Genocide Resolution – to schedule a vote on this
human rights initiative,” said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian.
The letter, written on behalf of the collective leadership of the
Armenian American community to House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert,
gives voice to the community’s unequivocal opposition to the House
leadership’s efforts to reverse the Schiff Amendment to the fiscal
year 2005 Foreign Operations bill, H.R.4818, and expresses the
community’s “great dismay with your public statement against
holding a vote on the Genocide Resolution, H.Res.193.”
The letter comes in the wake of the adoption by the U.S. House,
last month, of the Schiff Amendment, which seeks to block the use
by Turkey of U.S. foreign aid to lobby against the Genocide
Resolution. It was adopted by voice vote, without any opposition,
on July 15th. Within hours of its passage, the Schiff Amendment
came under intense attack by the Congressional leadership, with the
Speaker of the House and his top deputies issuing a statement –
posted prominently on the first page of the Speaker of the House’s
website – that they would use their influence to block its adoption
as part of the final foreign aid bill.
The organizations that signed the community-wide letter were the
ANCA, the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church – Eastern and
Western U.S., the Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church –
Eastern and Western U.S., the Armenian Missionary Association of
America, and the Apostolic Exarchate for Armenian Catholics, as
well as the Armenian General Benevolent Union, Armenian Democratic
Liberal (Ramgavar) Party, United Armenian Fund, Armenian Relief
Society, Armenian Bar Association, National Organization of
Republican Armenians, Armenian Youth Federation, Homenetmen –
Armenian General Athletic Union, and Hamazkayn Armenian Cultural
and Educational Association.
The signatories to the letter stressed that the Schiff Amendment,
which was adopted by the U.S. House on July 15th, “simply
underscores the importance of protecting American people from
having their tax dollars used by the government of Turkey for a
purpose they find patently offensive – the denial of the Armenian
Genocide.” They also noted that the adoption of the Amendment
“reflected the breadth of the bipartisan opposition to Turkey’s
shameful campaign against H.Res.193, and, just as importantly,
demonstrated the clear and overwhelming support of a majority of
Members enjoyed by the underlying legislation.”
The Genocide Resolution, H.Res.193, was introduced last year by
Congressmen George Radanovich (R-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA), and
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chairmen Joe Knollenberg
and Frank Pallone. It has been cosponsored by 110 U.S.
Representatives and was approved, without opposition, in May of
last year, by the Judiciary Committee. This genocide-prevention
measure is supported by a diverse coalition of over one hundred
religious, civic, ethnic and human rights organizations, including
American Values, Union of Orthodox Rabbis, NAACP, Sons of Italy,
and the National Council of La Raza.
The full text of the Armenian American community letter to the
Speaker of the House is provided below.
#####
Text of Community Letter to Speaker Dennis Hastert
Dear Speaker Hastert:
We are writing, as the collective leadership of the Armenian
American community, to voice our extraordinary disappointment with
your opposition to the Schiff Amendment to the fiscal year 2005
Foreign Operations bill, H.R.4818, and to express our great dismay
with your public statement against holding a vote on the Genocide
Resolution, H.Res.193.
The Schiff Amendment simply underscores the importance of
protecting American people from having their tax dollars used by
the government of Turkey for a purpose they find patently offensive
– the denial of the Armenian Genocide. The adoption of this
measure on July 15th by the full U.S. House of Representatives
reflected the breadth of the bipartisan opposition to Turkey’s
shameful campaign against H.Res.193, and, just as importantly,
demonstrated the clear and overwhelming support of a majority of
Members enjoyed by the underlying legislation.
As you know, H.Res.193, which was introduced by Congressmen George
Radanovich and Adam Schiff, and Congressional Caucus on Armenian
Issues Co-Chairmen Joe Knollenberg and Frank Pallone, has been
cosponsored by 110 of your colleagues and was approved, without
opposition, in May of last year, by the Judiciary Committee. This
genocide-prevention measure is supported by a diverse coalition of
over one hundred religious, civic, ethnic and human rights
organizations, including American Values, Union of Orthodox Rabbis,
NAACP, Sons of Italy, and the National Council of La Raza.
We respectfully call upon you to reconsider your opposition to the
Schiff Amendment and to immediately schedule a vote of the full
U.S. House of Representatives on the Genocide Resolution,
H.Res.193. We make this request on several levels. First is that
the adoption of such a resolution represents a moral imperative
that we, as Americans, must take to defend human rights and protect
human lives against the crime of genocide. Secondly, we should not
allow a foreign nation, particularly one that so brazenly flaunts
basic American values and which blocked the U.S.-led coalition from
opening a northern front in the Iraq War, to impose its dictates on
the U.S. Congress. Thirdly, the clear majority of Members who
support this resolution should not be denied the opportunity to
take part in an up-or-down vote on this human rights measure.
Finally, by bringing this measure to the floor, you would be
honoring your public pledge to our community on this subject made
in October of 2000.
Thank you for your consideration of our concerns. We would be
pleased to meet with you personally to discuss this matter further.
Sincerely,