PRESS RELEASE
Armenian National Committee
Eastern United States
P.O. Box 1066
New York, NY 10040
Contact: Doug Geogerian
Tel: 917 428 1918
Fax: 718 651 3637
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
What has stopped a Genocide Resolution from passing?
Local Armenian National Committees in the Eastern Region performed
admirably during the recent campaign to get members of Congress
to co-sign the letter to President Bush concerning his April 24
address. Of the 32 Senators who signed the letter, 25 of them, or 78%,
came from the Eastern Region, which encompasses states east of the
Mississippi River. Of the 178 Representatives, 117 of them, or 66%,
came from the eastern half of the United States, where about 66%
of all members of Congress serve.
This year’s enlistment of 178 co-signers resulted in 9 more than
last year, or an increase of 5%. If this were sustained, it would
take approximately four to five years to gain a majority of the
House of Representatives. Locals committees, which increased the
number of co-signers by one were Georgia, Illinois, Pennsylvania,
New York, Virginia and Wisconsin. Florida increased its number by two.
There was one less co-signer for Tennessee and Missouri.
Since the Armenian Congressional Caucus, at the request of Armenian-American
activists, will very shortly introduce a genocide resolution this year in
the Congress, ANC activists used the letter to the President to prepare
members of Congress to support and eventually co-sponsor the bill, which if
passed would once again officially recognize the genocide.
Armenian-Americans should at this time reflect on recent efforts to get a
resolution passed in order to identify the obstacles, which will likely
confront us again.
During the last term, House Speaker Dennis Hastert broke the promise he made
in 2000 to our community and once again prevented an Armenian genocide
resolution from reaching the floor for a vote. Congressman Radanovich,
Republican from California, authored a letter, which gained 64 co-signers
urging the speaker to schedule a vote. Armenian Caucus Co-chair Joe
Knollenberg, in deference to the Congressional leadership, did not sign the
letter. These considerations are just some of the obstacles the
Armenian-American community may face again in the coming year.
Based on the decades long track record of Armenian-American activism, it is
fair to assume that many members of Congress will co-sponsor the expected
resolution, especially right after the extraordinary publicity achieved
during the 90th anniversary of the genocide. The real challenge will come
at the end game, when the Congressional leadership can use its control of
parliamentary procedure to stop the majority from enacting a law.
Armenian-American activists will need to offer different strategies to
overcome these formidable obstacles.
Below are members of Congress in the Eastern Region who signed this year’s
letter to President Bush.
U.S. House of Representatives
Ross Mike D AR
DeLauro Rosa D CT
Johnson Nancy R CT
Larson John D CT
Shays Christopher R CT
Simmons Rob R CT
Norton Eleanor Holmes D DC
Bilirakis Michael R FL
Diaz-Balart Lincoln R FL
Feeney Tom R FL
Foley Mark R FL
Shaw E. Clay R FL
Bishop Sanford D GA
Lewis John D GA
Bean Melissa D IL
Costello Jerry D IL
Dav is Danny D IL
Emanuel Rahm D IL
Evans Lane D IL
Gutierrez Luis D IL
Jackson Jesse D IL
Kirk Mark R IL
Lipinski Daniel D IL
Rush Bo bby D IL
Schakowsky Janice D IL
Shimkus John R IL
Weller Gerald R IL
Souder Mark R IN
V isclosky Peter D IN
Capuano Michael D MA
Dela hunt William D MA
Frank Barney D MA
Lynch St ephen D MA
Markey Edward D MA
McGovern James D MA
Meehan Martin D MA
Neal Richard D MA
Olver John D MA
Tierney John D MA
Cardin Be njamin D MD
Hoyer Steny D MD
Van Hollen Christopher D MD
Wynn Albert D MD
Allen Tom D ME
Michaud Michael D ME
Conyers John D MI
Dingell John D MI
Ehlers Vernon R MI
Kildee Dale D MI
Kilpatrick Carolyn D MI
Kno llenberg Joe R MI
Levin Sander D MI
McCotter Thaddeus R MI
Miller Candice R MI
Rogers Mike R MI
Schwarz Joe R MI
McCollum Betty D MN
Peterson Collin D MN
Cleaver Emanuel D MO
McI ntyre Mike D NC
Bass Charles R NH
Bradley Je b R NH
Andrews Robert D NJ
Ferguson Mike R NJ
Frelinghuysen Rodney R NJ
Garrett Scott R NJ
Holt Rush D NJ
LoBiondo Frank R NJ
Menendez Robert D NJ
P allone Frank D NJ
Pascrell William D NJ
Payne Donald D NJ
Rothman Steven D NJ
Saxton H. James R NJ
Smith Christopher R NJ
Ackerman Gary D NY
Bishop Tim D NY
Boehlert Sherwood R NY
C rowley Joseph D NY
Engel Eliot D NY
Fossella Vito R NY
Hinchey Maurice D NY
Israel Steve D NY
Kelly Sue R NY
Lowey Nita D NY
Malon ey Carolyn D NY
McCarthy Carolyn D NY
McHugh John R NY
McNulty Michael D NY
Nadler Jerro ld D NY
Rangel Charles D NY
Sweeney John R NY
Towns Edolphus D NY
Velazquez Nydia D NY
W alsh James R NY
Weiner Anthony D NY
Brown S herrod D OH
Jones Stephanie Tubbs D OH
Kaptur Marcy D OH
Kucinich Dennis D OH
LaTourette Steven R OH
Doyle Mike D PA
Fattah Chaka D PA
Fitzpatrick Mike R PA
Gerla ch Jim R PA
Holden Tim D PA
Schwartz Allyson D PA
Weldon Curt R PA
Kennedy Patrick D R I
Langevin James D RI
Wilson Joe R SC
Moran James D VA
Wolf Frank R VA
Sanders Bernard I VT
Baldwin Tammy D WI
Green Mark R WI
Moo re Gwen D WI
Ryan Paul R WI
U.S. Senate
Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT)
Sen. Lieberman (D-CT)
Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE)
Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL)
Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL)
Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA)
Sen. John Kerry (D-MA)
Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-MD)
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI)
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN)
Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC)
Sen. Jon Corzine (D-NJ)
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Sen. John Sununu (R-NH)
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY)
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)
Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI)
Sen. George Allen (R-VA)
Sen. James Jeffords (I-VT)
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI)