ARMENIAN CONGRESSMAN IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
AZG Armenian Daily
11/04/2008
Diaspora
The Armenian Assembly of America congratulated former California
State Senator Jackie Speier (D) on winning a special election to
fill the House seat of the late Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA), avoiding a
runoff in the contest to replace Lantos, who endorsed her before his
death in February. With her win on Tuesday, Speier now joins fellow
California lawmaker Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), as the second American
of Armenian descent to serve in the 110th Congress. "The Armenian
Assembly congratulates Jackie Speier on her resounding victory,"
said Assembly Board of Trustees Member Peter Kezirian, Jr. "As the
newest Armenian-American representative in Congress, she will be a
strong voice on behalf of her constituents and the Armenian-American
community. As a member of the California Legislature, she was known
as a dynamic and innovative legislator, and the Assembly is pleased
she will bring these talents to our nation’s capital."
During her tenure in the California Legislature, the Assembly worked
closely with Speier to advance Armenian issues in the state. In 2003,
she served as mistress of ceremonies for the Assembly’s National
Gala in Palm Desert, CA. The daughter of a German immigrant and a
first-generation Armenian-American, Speier has authored over a dozen
bills related to Armenian issues during the course of her career in
the California State Legislature. She has spearheaded legislation to
commemorate the Armenian Genocide, and in 2005, she coauthored a bill
to place the commemoration into permanent law. Before leaving the
State Senate, Speier introduced a measure (SB 1524), which provides
relief to California Armenian Genocide victims, and their families,
who are seeking legal action to recover assets that were lost or
stolen during the atrocities against the Armenian people.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the measure into
law in December 2006.
After announcing that he had been diagnosed with cancer in early
January, Lantos said that he would not seek reelection after
concluding his 14th term in Congress. As Chairman of the Foreign
Affairs Committee, Lantos supported adoption of H. Res. 106, which
affirms the historical truth of the Armenian Genocide. This resolution
passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee by a vote of 27 to 21.
"One of the problems we have diplomatically globally is that we have
lost our moral authority which we used to have in great abundance,"
Lantos said. "People around the globe who are familiar with these
events will appreciate the fact that the United States is speaking
out against a historic injustice. This would be like sweeping slavery
under the rug and saying slavery never occurred."
Lantos also supported an identical measure during the 109th Congress,
expressing strong concern over Turkey’s refusal in 2003 to provide
U.S. troops a northern front in the war against Iraq.