Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
104 North Belmont, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Telephone: (818) 500-1918
Facsimile: (818) 246-7353
ancawr@anca.org <;

PRESS RELEASE
October 24, 2006

Contact: Lerna Kayserian
Tel: (818) 500-1918

ANCA-WR MEETS WITH CONGRESSMAN WAXMAN AS PART OF REGION-WIDE MEETINGS

GLENDALE, CA – The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
(ANCA-WR) met with US Representative Henry Waxman (D-30) in his Los Angeles
district office last week. ANCA-WR Community Relations Director Haig
Hovsepian was joined by 30th District constituents Ara Khachatourian and
Alice Mouradian.

Meeting attendees thanked the Congressman for his support of key
legislation, including H.Res.316, a resolution commemorating the Armenian
Genocide, and H.R.3361, a bill that prevents the United States from
financing railway projects that would intentionally bypass Armenia.

During the meeting, Rep. Waxman was updated on the firing of former US
Ambassador to Armenia, John Marshall Evans, as well as the controversy
surrounding the US Administration’s nominee, Richard Hoagland, to replace
him. The Congressman was briefed on the lack of explanation by the State
Department regarding the reasons for Ambassador Evans’ dismissal and was
asked that he and his colleagues investigate the matter further.

"We were glad to meet with the Congressman and take the opportunity to
express our concerns," noted Hovsepian. "We look forward to working with him
to address these concerns as we continue to build a strong relationship
between the Congressman and the community."

The meeting with Rep. Waxman comes at the end of a three-month effort by the
ANCA-WR – in collaboration with its local chapters – to expand relations
between the Armenian American communities and their elected officials at a
federal level. Since July, the ANCA-WR has met with over 30 members of
Congress throughout the western region, including members from Arizona,
California, Colorado, Oregon, Nevada, Texas, and Washington.

The ANCA is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots
political organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices,
chapters, and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated
organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of
the Armenian-American community on a broad range of issues.