ANCA WELCOMES ARMENIAN CAUCUS CO-CHAIR MARK KIRK’S US SENATE BID
Asbarez
Jul 22nd, 2009
Congressional Armenian Caucus CoChair Mark Kirk (R-IL) announces
his bid for the U.S. Senate, pictured here with former Illinois
Gov. Jim Edgar.
Washington-Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) National Board
member Ari Killian joined with some 100 friends and supporters to rally
support for Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Mark Kirk’s (R-IL)
bid for the Illinois U.S. Senate seat once held by President Obama,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
With the backdrop of his boyhood home in Kenilworth, Kirk pledged to
"restore ethics and integrity to Illinois government," and focused on
the economy and ending the war in Iraq. During his remarks, Rep. Kirk
also expressed his appreciation to the Armenian American community
for its steadfast support throughout his nearly decade-long service
in the House and the importance of genocide recognition.
In 2000, the ANCA endorsed Rep. Kirk in a hotly contested twelve-person
Republican primary, and he has subsequently been reelected to serve
the people of Illinois’ 10th congressional district with the full
engagement of ANCA activists in Illinois.
"Rep. Kirk has been an outspoken champion of Armenian American
concerns," stated Killian. "As a member of the Subcommittee on State,
Foreign Operations and as the Republican co-chair of the Armenian
Caucus, he has worked tirelessly for U.S. recognition of the Armenian
Genocide, advocating for strong levels of foreign aid for Armenia
and Nagorno Karabakh, and seeking an end to Azerbaijan’s warmongering
over Nagorno Karabakh."
Rep. Kirk began his career on the staff of his predecessor, John
Porter, who along with Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) co-founded the
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues in 1995. He later served
in the World Bank, the State Department, the law firm of Baker &
McKenzie, and the U.S. House International Relations Committee.
Rep. Kirk, who holds the rank of Commander, is a Naval Reserve
intelligence officer and has served during conflicts in Afghanistan,
Iraq, Haiti, and Bosnia. The U.S. Navy named Kirk "Intelligence
Officer of the Year" in 1999 for his combat service in Kosovo.
Representing the largest Armenian American constituency in Illinois,
Rep. Kirk has been a strong advocate on behalf of core community
concerns. He is a lead sponsor of H. Res. 252, the Armenian Genocide
resolution, and serves on the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations
and Related Programs of the Committee on Appropriations, where he
worked with his colleagues to adopt language strengthening Section
907 restrictions on U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan.
In appreciation of his ongoing support of Armenian American concerns,
Rep. Kirk was recently presented with the 0Spirit of Armenia" award
by His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan at the 2009 National
Representative Assembly of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian
Apostolic Church of America.