SCHIFF INTRODUCES GENOCIDE MEASURE
By Charles Cooper
Burbank Weekly, CA
Arcadia Weekly, CA
Pasadena Independent, CA
Feb 8 2007
"The Affirmation of the U.S. Record on the Armenian Genocide"
resolution has bipartisan support from of over 150 Members of the
House of Representatives. It calls on the President to "ensure that the
foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding"
of the "Armenian Genocide" and to "accurately characterize the
systematic and deliberate annihilation of 1,500,000 Armenians as
genocide."
The resolution also has the support of the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA), the Armenian Assembly of America (AAA),
and US-Armenia Public Affairs Committee (USAPAC).
A total of 38 Republican members have signed on as co-sponsors,
including D avid Dreier, and 39 member of the House delegation from
California
Congressman Adam Schiff, who has been the designated point man in the
effort to have the U.S. Government recognize the Armenian Genocide,
has introduced a new resolution, which may have a stronger chance
of success.
In the past, the Republican leadership has bottled up the matter in
Congress, to avoid putting President George Bush on the spot with
U.S ally Turkey.
This year, with Democrats in control of both houses, the likelihood
of success is greater.
Schiff was joined at the news conference by original cosponsors of
the resolution Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), George Radanovich
(R-CA) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Genocide survivors Mrs. Rose
Baboyan and Mrs. Sirarpi Khoyan, who recently turned 100 years old.
"The United States has a compelling historical and moral reason to
recognize the Armenian Genocide, which cost a million and a half
people their lives," said Rep. Schiff. "But we also have a powerful
contemporary reason as well — how can we take effective action
against the genocide in Darfur if we lack the will to condemn genocide
whenever and wherever it occurs? With the new leadership in Congress,
I am hopeful we can finally get this resolution passed."