PRESS RELEASE
Armenian National Committee of Illinois
1701 North Greenwood Road
Glenview, IL 60026
Contact: Greg Bedian
Tel: 917 428 1918
Fax: 718 651 3637
E-mail: anc_il@yahoo.com
Internet:

July 20, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ANC Protestors Urge House Vote, Demand Hastert Honor Pledge

Elgin – ANC demonstrators picketed Speaker of the House Dennis
Hastert’s “Mobile Office Tour 2005” on Wednesday, July 20, demanding
that he honor his five-year-old pledge to move the Armenian Genocide
Resolution forward in the House of Representatives.

The demonstrators, distributed flyers and carried signs stating “Mr.
Speaker, Honor Your Pledge,” “Men of Integrity Keep their Word,”
and “Let the House Vote on the Armenian Genocide Bill,” as they
picketed Hastert’s mobile office locations at the village halls in
Elgin and South Elgin, Illinois. Hastert launched his “Mobile Office
Tour” as a way to reach out to his expansive and largely rural 14th
congressional district.

The ANC also arranged for some of Rep. Hastert’s Armenian-American
constituents to meet with staffers manning the mobile office to
personally raise their concerns. The constituents raised the issue
that Hastert has twice thus far failed to live up to his commitment and
asked that the Speaker make clear his intentions regarding the Armenian
Genocide Resolution which is currently in the House International
Relations Committee. Hastert made the pledge in August of 2000,
but reneged in October of 2000 citing pressure from then President
Clinton. He also prevented a similar resolution from reaching the
floor in 2004. Staffers committed to provide the Speaker’s feedback
to the constituents very soon regarding the current bill.

“Today we sent a message to Speaker Hastert that we are prepared
to take the Armenian Genocide Resolution issue, and his failure to
honor his pledge, to his home district so that he can answer to his
own constituents,” stated Greg Bedian, ANC of Illinois chairperson.

The Armenian National Committee of Illinois is a grassroots public
affairs organization serving to inform, educate, and act on a wide
range of issues concerning Armenian Americans throughout the state
of Illinois.