Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email anca@anca.org
Internet

PRESS RELEASE
September 19, 2007
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

SENATOR MURRAY, CONGRESSWOMAN RICHARDSON COSPONSOR ARMENIAN
GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

— Both are First-Time Supporters of Federal Armenian Genocide
Legislation

WASHINGTON, DC – In a sign of the growing momentum toward the
adoption of Congressional legislation recognizing the Armenian
Genocide, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and newly elected
Representative Laura Richardson (D-CA), this week, added their
names as cosponsors of this human rights legislation, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

"Armenians in Washington, California and around the nation are
encouraged to see Senator Murray and Representative Richardson –
both first-time supporters of federal legislation commemorating the
Armenian Genocide – join the growing Congressional majority in
support of the recognition of this crime against humanity," said
Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. "We look forward
for Members of Congress – at long last – to have the opportunity to
steer America back to the right side of this fundamental issue of
justice and basic human rights."

Prior to her election to the House this August, in a special
election following the death of Congresswoman Juanita Millender-
McDonald, Representative Richardson had pledged in a letter to the
local ANC-South Bay chapter that she would cosponsor H.Res.106.

The House version of the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.106,
was introduced on January 30th by lead author Rep. Adam Schiff,
along with 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). With Rep. Richardson’s support, the legislation
now has 226 cosponsors.

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 now has 32 cosponsors, including Senate Majority
Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton
(D-NY). Both resolutions call 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.

The ANCA website – – provides an opportunity for
activists to send a free ANCA WebFax urging their legislators to
make public statements in support of the Armenian Genocide
Resolution. Below is text from a memo sent by the ANCA to
Congressional offices this week outlining seven key areas of
support for the Armenian Genocide Resolution.

#####

Armenian Genocide Resolution: H.Res.106

1) Majority support: H.Res.106 has been cosponsored by more than
225 Representatives from 39 states.

2) Bipartisan support: H.Res.106 enjoys strong support among the
House Democratic leadership, as well as among senior Republicans,
including the House Republican Policy Committee Chairman, Chief
Deputy Minority Whip, and the Ranking Members of the Rules,
Education and Labor, Judiciary, and Armed Services committees.

3) Committee support: H.Res.106 has been cosponsored by 23
members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. An identical
resolution considered by this same panel in the 109th Congress was
supported by both the Chairman and Ranking Member and passed
overwhelmingly by a vote of 40 to 7.

4) Grassroots support: The Armenian Genocide has been officially
recognized, through legislation or proclamation, by 40 U.S. states.

5) Coalition support: H.Res.106 is supported by the Genocide
Intervention Network, National Council of Churches, American
Values, Jewish groups including the Zionist Organization of America
and Americans for Peace Now, as well as by a diverse coalition that
includes organizations representing the Ukrainian, Greek, Filipino,
Polish, Hungarian, Arab, Bulgarian, Latvian, Romanian, Lithuanian,
Slovakian, and other communities.

6) Academic support: H.Res.106 has been endorsed by the
International Association of Genocide Scholars, the leading group
of experts in Holocaust and genocide studies.

7) International support: The Armenian Genocide has been
recognized by a growing number of nations, including Canada, Italy,
Sweden, Belgium, France, Argentina, Russia, and Switzerland.