Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 18, 2006
CONTACT: Karoon Panosyan
E-mail: [email protected]
ASSEMBLY CONTINUES ADVOCACY MEETINGS AND PROMOTES LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AS
CONGRESS RECESSES
WASHINGTON, DC – With Congress in recess until after the November
elections, the Armenian Assembly stepped up its advocacy efforts,
meeting with several lawmakers to promote Armenian-American concerns.
Board of Trustees Executive Committee Member Annie Totah, along with
Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny, met with Senator Maria
Cantwell (D-WA) to discuss the U.S.-Armenia relationship as well as key
issues such as reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide. Cantwell who is
serving her first term in office, is a cosponsor of the Armenian
Genocide Resolution (S. Res. 320).
Totah and Ardouny also met with Armenian Caucus Member Representative
Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), an avid supporter of Armenian issues including
the South Caucasus Integration and Open Railroads Act (H.R. 3361) and
the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H. Res. 316). This past summer Maloney
spearheaded a letter to the European Union expressing concern regarding
Turkey’s ongoing denial of the Armenian Genocide. In her letter, Maloney
urged the European Commission to consider Turkey’s stance on the
Armenian Genocide and the ongoing blockade which impairs the regional
stability of the South Caucasus in consideration of its membership into
the European Union. Maloney is a Ranking Member of the Joint Economic
Committee as well as a member of the Financial Services and Government
Reform Committees and serves as a co-chair of the Hellenic Caucus. Totah
and Ardouny thanked the Congresswoman for her strong support of the
Armenian community.
Additionally, Totah and Ardouny met with Armenian Caucus Members Joseph
Crowley (D-NY), Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Edward Royce (R-CA), and thanked
the Representatives for their support of H.R. 3361, a bill prohibiting
U.S. funding for a rail link that connects Baku, Azerbaijan; Tbilisi,
Georgia; and Kars, Turkey while bypassing Armenia. They also commended
the lawmakers for sponsoring an amendment ensuring that no Export-Import
money is spent on efforts that would isolate Armenia from economic and
regional transportation opportunities. A similar amendment was adopted
by the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee with strong
Assembly support.
"We thank Senator Cantwell for her receptiveness to the concerns of the
Armenian-American community, and we look forward to working with her and
her staff in promoting Armenian concerns," said Totah. "Additionally, we
thank Representatives Crowley, Maloney, Royce and Sherman for their
continued support and work on the federal level for the Armenian
community."
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of
Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
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NR#2006-093
Editor’s Note: Photograph available on the Assembly Web site at the
following links:
3/2006-093-1.jpg
Caption: Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) flanked by Executive Director
Bryan Ardouny (left) and Board of Trustees Executive Committee Member
Annie Totah.
3/2006-093-2.jpg
Caption: Board of Trustees Executive Committee Member Annie Totah (left)
with Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY).
93/2006-093-3.jpg
Caption: L to R: Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Board of Trustees
Executive Committee Member Annie Totah and Executive Director Bryan
Ardouny.
/2006-093/2006-093-4.jpg
Caption: Executive Director Bryan Ardouny (left) with Congressman Edward
Royce (R-CA).
93/2006-093-5.JPG
Caption: Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) with Board of Trustees
Executive Committee Member Annie Totah.