PROMINENT CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS LEADER FIGHTS FOR JUSTICE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

armradio.am
20.07.2007 12:22

A Congresswoman from the East Bay Area has been working with her
colleagues in the US Capitol to end the cycle of genocide by raising
awareness of the Turkish Government’s continuing denial of the
Armenian Genocide.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-09) is standing shoulder to shoulder
with more than 218 cosponsors of the Armenian Genocide Resolution
(H. Res. 106).

"We must never forget the heinous acts of the Armenian Genocide that
wrought devastation upon a generation of Armenians and scarred the
conscience of the world. If we let such atrocities be forgotten,
then we are in danger of letting them be repeated, and I hope
that Congressman Schiff’s resolution helps us to recommit to our
efforts to end the terrible, present-day genocide in Darfur," stated
Congresswoman Lee.

H. Res. 106 "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, and for other purposes." The resolution
currently has over 218 cosponsors and is a bipartisan measure. Over 46
of California’s 53 Members of Congress are cosponsors of H. Res. 106.

Since taking office in 1998, Congresswoman Lee has strongly promoted
issues of concern to the Armenian American community. As a longtime
member of the House International Relations Committee (1998-2006)
she has consistently reached out to fellow Members of Congress to
build support for the genocide bill and other important human rights
legislation.

Congresswoman Lee, who is a close friend of the San Francisco Bay
Area Armenian National Committee Chapter (Bay Area ANC), became a
cosponsor of H. Res. 106 on January 31, 2007. In addition to being a
strong voice in promoting policies that foster international peace,
security and human rights, Congresswoman Lee has been a leader in the
bipartisan effort in Congress to end the ongoing genocide in Darfur,
Sudan. Her leadership on human rights issues is greatly revered by
the Armenian American community living in and around California’s
9th Congressional District.

"Since our first meeting with her in 1998, Rep. Barbara Lee has
demonstrated to us a keen understanding of the need for Armenian
Genocide recognition," said Bay Area ANC Chairwoman Roxanne
Makasdjian. "We are proud that this principled Bay Area Congresswoman
has taken every available opportunity to persuade her colleagues to
join her in acknowledging and correcting history’s wrongs."

The 9th Congressional District which the Congresswoman represents
includes most of Alameda County and the cities of Albany, Berkeley,
Castro Valley, Oakland, Piedmont and Emeryville.

Congresswoman Lee serves on the powerful House Appropriations
Committee which controls the federal budget and is widely considered
one of the most powerful committees in the House. She serves on three
prominent subcommittees – the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human
Services and Education, the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations and
the Legislative Branch Subcommittee. In addition to her membership in
the Armenian-American issues Caucus, Congresswoman Lee Co-Chairs the
Congressional Progressive Caucus, and serves as the First Vice-Chair of
the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and a Senior Democratic Whip. She
also serves as the Co-Chair of the CBC Outreach Task Force.

Congresswoman Lee was born in El Paso, Texas, graduated from Mills
College in Oakland and received her graduate degree from UC –
Berkeley. She began her political career as an intern in the office
of her predecessor, then-Congressman Ron Dellums (and current Oakland
Mayor) where she eventually became his Chief of Staff. She also served
in the California State Assembly from 1990-1996 and in the California
State Senate from 1996-1998.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress