Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: info@aaainc.org
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MEDIA ALERT
October 2, 2007
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: ckojoian@aaainc.org
Lawmakers Announce Vote on Armenian Genocide Resolution
Washington, DC – The authors of the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.
Res. 106) today expressed their confidence that the House Foreign
Affairs Committee will pass this important human rights legislation
during the Committee markup next Wednesday, October 10th.
In a press statement issued earlier today, Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA),
George Radanovich (R-CA), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on
Armenian Issues, Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI)
along with Caucus Members Brad Sherman (D-CA), Ed Royce (R-CA) and Anna
G. Eshoo (D-CA), said they would work to prevent the adoption of
weakening amendments.
"We will work to ensure that when the Resolution comes to the House
floor for a vote, it will receive the overwhelming support it deserves,"
the lawmakers stated.
The Armenian Assembly remains encouraged by the groundswell of support –
both inside and outside of Congress – for H. Res. 106, and will continue
to rally strong congressional support to secure a vote and successful
passage of this legislation.
Editors Note: Below is the full text of the press release issued by
Representatives Pallone, Schiff, Knollenberg, Radanovich, Eshoo,
Sherman, and Royce.
October 2, 2007
LAWMAKERS ANNOUNCE COMMITTEE MARKUP ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION
RESOLUTION
Schiff, Radanovich Resolution set for October 10th
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Joe
Knollenberg (R-MI), co-chairmen of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian
Issues; Adam Schiff (D-CA) and George Radanovich (R-CA), lead sponsors
of the Armenian Genocide Resolution; Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Ed Royce
(R-CA), senior members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and
Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA), a co-sponsor of the resolution and the only
Armenian-American Member of Congress, announced today that the House
Committee on Foreign Affairs will hold a markup next Wednesday, October
10, 2007, of the Armenian Genocide Recognition Resolution.
The seven lawmakers, all Members of the Congressional Caucus on
Armenian Issues, issued the following statement today regarding the
announced markup:
"We are extremely pleased and very encouraged by the decision of the
House Committee on Foreign Affairs to move forward with a markup of this
critical legislation recognizing the Armenian Genocide as the first
genocide of the 20th century. We thank Chairman Lantos and Ranking
Member Ros-Lehtinen for scheduling the hearing, as well as Speaker
Pelosi for her continued support.
"This Congress’ support for the Armenian Genocide Resolution sends a
strong message that the U.S. government will not tolerate genocide. Our
recognition of the Armenian Genocide is a vital step in helping to
prevent other crimes against humanity.
"We are confident that the House Foreign Affairs Committee will pass
this long-overdue legislation and will work to prevent the adoption of
weakening amendments. We will continue to work to ensure that when the
Resolution comes to the House floor for a vote, it will receive the
overwhelming support it deserves."
The lawmakers noted that the Resolution currently has 226 co-sponsors,
more than the 218 needed to have the support of a majority of the 435
Members of the House. This amount of support makes it possible to pass
the bill on the House floor, which is the next step after passage in
Committee. In September 2005, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs
voted by an overwhelming margin of 40-7 to pass an Armenian Genocide
Resolution with the same language as the current Resolution, H. Res.
106.
The Armenian Genocide Recognition Resolution, which was introduced in
Congress last January, calls on the President and the U.S. Government to
properly recognize the atrocities that occurred in Armenia beginning in
1915, which resulted in 1.5 million deaths and countless victims of
torture, as genocide.
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Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
and awareness of Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
membership organization.
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