Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email [email protected]
Internet
PRESS RELEASE
June 20, 2007
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION
COSPONSORSHIP CLEARS THE 200 MARK
— Momentum Growing for Adoption of Human Rights Legislation
WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.106,
continued to gain momentum toward passage today with the total
number of Members cosponsoring the human rights measure clearing
the 200 mark, reported the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA). Representatives from Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi and New
York were the latest additions, bringing the overall cosponsor
total to 202.
"We are encouraged by the growing bipartisan support for the
Armenian Genocide Resolution – as so dramatically illustrated today
by the growth of the number of cosponsors for this genocide
prevention measure to more than two hundred," said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian. "We value the leadership of the
resolution’s authors, appreciate the support of each of its
cosponsors, and look forward to working with all of these friends
to see the Armenian Genocide Resolution adopted by the U.S. House
of Representatives at the first opportunity."
"Two hundred cosponsors is an important milestone," stated
resolution lead sponsor Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA). "This
overwhelming support for the resolution is evidence that Members of
Congress and their constituents believe that recognizing the
Armenian Genocide, which claimed more than a million and a half
lives, is a moral imperative."
Introduced on January 30th by Rep. Adam Schiff and spearheaded by
Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA), Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-
Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), Rep. Anna
Eshoo (D-CA), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Rep. Thaddeus McCotter
(R-MI), the Armenian Genocide resolution calls upon the President
to ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects
appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related
to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the
United States record relating to the Armenian Genocide. A similar
resolution in the Senate (S.Res.106), introduced by Assistant
Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)
currently has 31 cosponsors, including Senate Majority Leader Harry
Reid (D-NV) and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (D-NY).
Lead advocates for H.Res.106 hailed the continuing growth of
support for the resolution and urged swift House consideration of
the legislation.
"To have 200 Members of the House of Representatives declaring
their strong support for properly recognizing the Armenian Genocide
is a tremendous accomplishment," said Rep. Anna Eshoo, who is of
Armenian and Assyrian American descent. "I will continue to do
everything I can to see that this long-overdue legislation comes to
the floor of the House for a vote and that we will prevail."
Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone concurred, noting that "the
addition of 200 co-sponsors to the Armenian Genocide Recognition
Resolution shows the overwhelming support in the House of
Representatives for properly acknowledging the systematic massacre
of 1.5 million Armenians beginning in 1915 as genocide. Members of
Congress understand that our nation cannot effectively work to end
crimes against humanity without recognizing those that have
previously occurred."
Similarly, Caucus Co-Chair Joe Knollenberg noted that, "the fact
that 200 members have co-sponsored this resolution is a strong
indication that it’s time to schedule a vote on the House floor.
There is significant bipartisan support for giving the Armenian
Genocide its proper historical distinction. I commend my
colleagues who have co-sponsored this resolution for giving their
support to this important issue."
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Grassroots Action for Adoption of Armenian Genocide Resolution
======================================= ===========================
Since the introduction of Armenian Genocide legislation (H.Res.106
& S.Res.106), the ANCA national, regional and local chapters have
been working with tens of thousands of activists across the United
States to secure support and swift passage of this human rights
legislation.
Earlier this year, the ANCA Western and Eastern Region offices
launched the POWER Initiative designed to significantly expand
community outreach and support. Dubbed "Project Outreach Western
Region" in the West and "Project Outreach Waves the Eastern Region"
in the East, the program has generated renewed grassroots activism
in large and small communities. Travels to traditional strongholds
in California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania, Michigan and Illinois have been complemented with
visits to Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Nevada, North Carolina and South
Carolina, expanded outreach to established communities in Ohio,
Wisconsin and Missouri and burgeoning communities in Alabama,
Colorado, Hawaii, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and
Washington state.
On March 22nd and 23rd, over 100 activists from 25 states
participated in the Washington, DC advocacy days, titled "End the
Cycle of Genocide: Grassroots Capitol Campaign." By the end of the
whirlwind two-day campaign, organized by the ANCA and the Genocide
Intervention Network (GI-Net), activists had visited all 100 Senate
and 435 House of Representatives offices, meeting with Members of
Congress and their staff, and dropping off information regarding
pending Armenian and Darfur genocide legislation.
Thousands have already sent ANCA WebFaxes to their Senators and
Representatives in support of the Armenian Genocide legislation
through participation in the "Click for Justice" internet campaign,
launched on April 21st, to call renewed attention to key Armenian
Genocide and Darfur Genocide legislation.
The Armenian Genocide resolution is supported by a broad-based
coalition of over 44 human rights, religious, civic, and ethnic
organizations, including the International Association of Genocide
Scholars, American Values, and the National Council of Churches.
Armenian Americans and human rights supporters can lend their voice
to the ongoing "Click for Justice" campaign by visiting
The current list of 202 Congressional Cosponsors of the Armenian
Genocide Resolution include (in alphabetical order):
Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Tom Allen (D-ME),
Robert Andrews (D-NJ), Joe Baca (D-CA), Michele Marie Bachmann (R-
MN), Brian Baird (D-WA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), John Barrow (D-GA),
Melissa Bean (D-IL), Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Shelley Berkley (D-NV),
Howard Berman (D-CA), Marion Berry (D-AR), Brian Bilbray (R-CA),
Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Tim Bishop (D-NY),
Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Mary Bono (R-CA), Robert Brady (D-PA),
Bruce Braley (D-IA), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Dave Camp (R-MI), John
Campbell (R-CA), Eric Cantor (R-VA), Lois Capps (D-CA), Michael
Capuano (D-MA), Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), Russ Carnahan (D-MO), Yvette
Clarke (D-NY), William Clay (D-MO), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), John
Conyers (D-MI), Jim Costa (D-CA), Jerry Costello (D-IL), Joe
Courtney (D-CT), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Danny Davis (D-IL), Lincoln
Davis (D-TN), Susan Davis (D-CA), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Diana
DeGette (D-CO), William Delahunt (D-MA), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT),
Charles Dent (R-PA), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Mario Diaz-Balart
(R-FL), John Dingell (D-MI), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), John Doolittle
(R-CA), Mike Doyle (D-PA), David Dreier (R-CA), Keith Maurice
Ellison (D-MN), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Sam Farr (D-
CA), Chaka Fattah (D-PA), Mike Ferguson (R-NJ), Bob Filner (D-CA),
Barney Frank (D-MA), Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), Scott Garrett (R-
NJ), Jim Gerlach (R-PA), Charlie Gonzalez (D-TX), Al Green (D-TX),
Gene Green (D-TX), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL),
Phillip Hare (D-IL), Jane Harman (D-CA), Stephanie Herseth (D-SD),
Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX), Mazie Hirono (D-HI),
Paul Hodes (D-NH), Tim Holden (D-PA), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Michael
Honda (D-CA), Duncan Hunter (R-CA), Steve Israel (D-NY), Darrell
Issa (R-CA), Jesse Jackson (D-IL), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Hank
Johnson (D-GA), Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Dale Kildee (D-MI), Carolyn
Kilpatrick (D-MI), Ron Kind (D-WI), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Joe
Knollenberg (R-MI), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), John R. Randy Kuhl (R-
NY), Douglas Lamborn (R-CO), James Langevin (D-RI), John Larson (D-
CT), Steven LaTourette (R-OH), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Sander Levin (D-
MI), John Lewis (D-GA), Daniel Lipinski (D-IL), Frank LoBiondo (R-
NJ), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Nita Lowey (D-NY), Dan Lungren (R-CA),
Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Kenny Marchant (R-
TX), Edward Markey (D-MA), Jim Matheson (D-UT), Doris Matsui (D-
CA), Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Michael McCaul
(R-TX), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), Jim
McDermott (D-WA), James McGovern (D-MA), Buck McKeon (R-CA), Cathy
McMorris (R-WA), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), Michael McNulty (D-NY),
Martin Meehan (D-MA), Charlie Melancon (D-LA), Michael Michaud (D-
ME), Candice Miller (R-MI), Gary Miller (R-CA), George Miller (D-
CA), James Moran (D-VA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Marilyn Musgrave (R-
CO), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Richard Neal
(D-MA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Devin Nunes (R-CA), John
Olver (D-MA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Ed Pastor (D-AZ), Donald Payne
(D-NJ), Edwin Perlmutter (D-CO), Collin Peterson (D-MN), Joseph
Pitts (R-PA), Jon Porter (R-NV), George Radanovich (R-CA), Charles
Rangel (D-NY), Dave Reichert (R-WA), Rick Renzi (R-AZ), Mike Rogers
(R-MI), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Peter Roskam (R-IL), Mike Ross (D-
AR), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Edward
Royce (R-CA), Bobby Rush (D-IL), Paul Ryan (R-WI), Tim Ryan (D-OH),
John Salazar (D-CO), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA),
John Sarbanes (D-MD), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA),
Allyson Schwartz (D-PA), F. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Christopher
Shays (R-CT), Brad Sherman (D-CA), John Shimkus (R-IL), Albio Sires
(D-NJ), Christopher Smith (R-NJ), Hilda Solis (D-CA), Mark Souder
(R-IN), Zachary Space (D-OH), Pete Stark (D-CA), Betty Sue Sutton
(D-OH), Thomas Tancredo (R-CO), Ellen Tauscher (D-CA), Bennie
Thompson (D-MS), Mike Thompson (D-CA), John Tierney (D-MA),
Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH), Mark Udall (D-
CO), Tom Udall (D-NM), Christopher Van Hollen (D-MD), Nydia
Velazquez (D-NY), Peter Visclosky (D-IN), Tim Walberg (R-MI), James
Walsh (R-NY), Timothy Walz (D-MN), Zach Wamp (R-TN), Maxine Waters
(D-CA), Diane Watson (D-CA), Henry Waxman (D-CA), Anthony Weiner
(D-NY), Gerald Weller (R-IL), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Frank Wolf (R-VA),
Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), David Wu (D-OR), Albert Wynn (D-MD
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