Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St., NW, Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 27, 2005
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
SUPPORT GROWS FOR CONGRESSIONAL LETTER CALLING ON
PRES. BUSH TO PROPERLY COMMEMORATE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
— Over 90 Representatives Co-Sign Letter as
Community Continues Nationwide Advocacy campaign
WASHINGTON, DC ~V Bipartisan efforts to urge President Bush to keep
his 2000 campaign pledge to properly characterize the Armenian
Genocide as “genocide” continued to grow this week, with over 90
U.S. Representatives having cosigned a Congressional letter to the
White House, reported the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA).
Initiated by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone
(D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), the letter calls on President
Bush to join House members “in reaffirming the United States record
on the Armenian Genocide” in his annual April 24th commemorative
statement. “By properly recognizing the terrible atrocities
committed against the Armenian people as ‘genocide’ in your
statement, you will honor the many Americans who helped launch the
unprecedented U.S. diplomatic, political and humanitarian campaign
to end the carnage and protect the survivors.”
Members of Congress joining Representatives Pallone and Knollenberg
as co-signers of the letter, as of Friday, March 25th, include:
Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Tom Allen (D-ME),
Robert Andrews (D-NJ), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Charles Bass (R-NH),
Melissa Bean (D-IL), Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Howard Berman (D-CA),
Michael Bilirakis (R-FL), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Tim Bishop (D-NY),
Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Mary Bono (R-CA), Jeb Bradley (R-NH), Ken
Calvert (R-CA), Lois Capps (D-CA), Michael Capuano (D-MA), Benjamin
Cardin (D-MD), Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), John Conyers (D-MI), Jim
Costa (D-CA), Jerry Costello (D-IL), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Susan
Davis (D-CA), William Delahunt (D-MA), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), David
Dreier (R-CA), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Bob Filner (D-CA), Mark Foley
(R-FL), Barney Frank (D-MA), Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), Scott
Garrett (R-NJ), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Rush
Holt (D-NJ), Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Steve Israel (D-NY), Stephanie
Tubbs Jones (D-OH), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Sue Kelly (R-NY), Dale
Kildee (D-MI), Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH),
James Langevin (D-RI), John Larson (D-CT), Sander Levin (D-MI),
John Lewis (D-GA), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA),
Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Edward Markey (D-MA),
Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), Jim McDermott
(D-WA), James McGovern (D-MA), Michael McNulty (D-NY), Martin
Meehan (D-MA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Candice Miller (R-MI),
George Miller (D-CA), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes
Norton (D-DC), Devin Nunes (R-CA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Collin
Peterson (D-MN), George Radanovich (R-CA), Steven Rothman (D-NJ),
Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Edward Royce (R-CA), Linda Sanchez
(D-CA), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), H. James Saxton (R-NJ), Adam Schiff
(D-CA), Joe Schwarz (R-MI), E. Clay Shaw (R-FL), Christopher Shays
(R-CT), Brad Sherman (D-CA), John Shimkus (R-IL), Christopher Smith
(R-NJ), Mark Souder (R-IN), John Sweeney (R-NY), Edolphus Towns (D-
NY), Mark Udall (D-CO), Christopher Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter
Visclosky (D-IN), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Diane Watson (D-CA), Henry
Waxman (D-CA), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Joe Wilson (R-SC), and Lynn
Woolsey (D-CA).
Over the past weeks, in statements on the House floor, a number of
House Members have already spoken out about the importance clear
and unambiguous U.S. reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide,
including Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone and Reps. Michael
Bilirakis, Barney Frank, Patrick Kennedy, James Langevin, and
George Radanovich.
Support for the letter is expected to grow considerably, as the
Armenian American community continues its grassroots campaign to
urge legislators to become signatories. The ANCA launched a WebFax
campaign last week, which, in addition to calling on House Members
to cosign this letter, urges activists to appeal directly to
President Bush on this key issue.
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