Burbank Leader, CA
May 8 2010

Political Landscape: Survivor stories for the record

Published: Last Updated Friday, May 7, 2010 11:43 PM PDT

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) on Wednesday called on Armenian Genocide
survivors and descendants to submit their stories and memories for
inclusion into the congressional record.

The effort parallels a congressional resolution Schiff introduced to
recognize and commemorate the genocide carried out by the Ottoman
Empire from 1915 to 1923. Schiff in a statement said he plans to make
the submissions part of the nation’s enduring record of congressional
proceedings.

`Let us fill the congressional record with the personal histories of
those who survived the genocide and their families,’ he said. `While
there are still some survivors left, we can use the official record of
the Congress to document the first genocide of the last century. This
can become an important resource for historians, a vital part of our
nation’s archives, and a part of the continuing effort to educate
members of Congress as we move forward with the genocide resolution.’

The Armenian Genocide, while recognized by more than 20 nations, has
not been formally recognized by the U.S. Congress. Schiff is the
primary sponsor of the Affirmation of the U.S. Record on the Armenian
Genocide, which calls on the president and government to officially
recognize events that resulted in 1.5 million deaths as genocide.

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Schiff recently sent a letter to President Obama urging him to
properly characterize the murder of 1.5 million Armenians as
`genocide’ in his annual April 24 statement marking the start of the
genocide. Obama did not do so.

Send stories to mary. hovagimian@mail. house.gov.

Assn. of Museums honors Portantino

Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada-Flintridge) on Tuesday was
presented the President’s Award by the California Assn. of Museums.

In a ceremony at the state capitol, Portantino was recognized for his
support of the state’s museums and cultural institutions and for his
legislation backing the arts community.

Portantino said it was an honor to be recognized by state museums.

`The arts and creative industries are major drivers for California’s
economic future and yet, their budgets have been slashed to the bone
in these tight economic times,’ he said. `It used to be that arts were
a major part of everyday schooling. But that’s no longer true; arts
classes are always the first to go.’

He recently introduced Assembly Bill 1777 to establish funding for
nonprofit arts groups across the state. It would transfer 20% of sales
tax collected on arts-related businesses to the fund for distribution
by the California Arts Council.

Health tax credits to be explained

Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) announced that companies eligible
for new health reform tax credits can expect to receive notices
explaining the credits and encouraging them to take advantage of the
tax break.

The tax credit is especially important to getting the valley economy
moving again, Sherman said, and there are more than 15,000 area
companies that meet the criteria for the small business health reform
tax credit.

The credit is available to small businesses with 25 employees or fewer
who have an average annual wage of $50,000 or less with health
insurance. Companies with 10 or fewer employees and an average annual
wage of $25,000 or less get the maximum credit, which is 35% of what
the employer is paying for employee insurance coverage.

It is also available to small nonprofit organizations, and is worth up
to 25% of what the employer is paying for employee-insurance coverage.

The maximum credit rises to 50% in 2014, and to 35% in 2014 for nonprofits.

Officials push for freedom of press

The U.S. Senate Thursday unanimously passed the Daniel Pearl Freedom
of the Press Act, championed by Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) and Mike
Pence (R-Indiana), and Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Connecticut).

Schiff and Pence, both of whom lead the Congressional Caucus for
Freedom of the Press, introduced the House bill, calling for an annual
State Department report on the status of press freedom around the
world. Dodd introduced Senate Bill 1739 as a companion to the House
version that now goes to the president to be signed into law.

The legislation, which expands the examination of press freedom
worldwide in the State Department’s annual human rights practices
report, was named for the former Wall Street Journal reporter who was
kidnapped and killed by terrorists in Pakistan four months after the
Sept. 11 attacks on New York City.

The legislation requires the State Department to identify countries
where violations of press freedom occurred; determine whether
authorities participated in, facilitated or condoned the violations;
report actions governments took to preserve the safety and
independence of the media; and ensure the prosecution of those who
attacked or murdered journalists.

‘ Christopher Cadelago