Burbank Leader, CA
April 7 2007
POLITICAL LANDSCAPE:
Push for genocide bill
The California State Senate and Assembly will vote on Monday on
whether to approve Joint Resolution 15, which would designate April
24 as California Day of Remembrance for the Armenian Genocide of
1915-1923.
Assemblyman Paul Krekorian, who represents Glendale and Burbank,
introduced the bill in February. It was co-authored by Assemblyman
Anthony Portantino and state Sen. Jack Scott, who represents Glendale
and Burbank.
In addition to designating an annual day of remembrance in
California, the bill would put pressure on the federal government to
do the same, Krekorian said.
Part of the resolution calls for Congress and the president to
recognize the Armenian genocide as a matter of policy, Krekorian
said. Once the resolution passes, the full text of it will be sent to
every member of the California Congressional delegation, as well as
the president and the Turkish ambassador to the United States.
As a matter of policy, the United States Department of State does not
officially recognize the Armenian genocide.
"As a community, we’ve been promised U.S. recognition of the Armenian
genocide so many times in the past," Krekorian said.
"Republicans and Democrats both have failed to do so once they got in
office."