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
April 18, 2005
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
RECORD NUMBER OF SENATORS CALL ON PRESIDENT BUSH
TO PROPERLY CHARACTERIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
— 32 Senators, Led by Senators Corzine and
Ensign, to be Joined by Over 175 Representatives
in Urging the President to Honor his Pledge
WASHINGTON, DC – Earlier today, Senators Jon Corzine (D-NJ) and John
Ensign (R-NV) were joined by thirty of their Senate colleagues in
urging President Bush to reaffirm “the United States record on the
Armenian Genocide” by properly characterizing that crime against
humanity as “genocide” in his annual April 24th statement, reported
the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
This move comes on the eve of the international community’s
commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the centrally planned and
systematically executed massacre of over 1.5 million Armenians.
A similar letter in the U.S. House, signed by more than 175
Representatives, will soon be sent to the White House.
“Armenian Americans – from New Jersey to Nevada and around the nation –
thank Senators Corzine and Ensign for their leadership in securing a
record level of Senate support for the annual letter urging President
Bush to honor his pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide,” said
Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. “Along with thirty
of their Senate colleagues, they have sent a powerful signal to the
White House that the American government should, once and for all,
end its complicity in Turkey’s shameful campaign to deny its crime
against the Armenian nation.”
In the April 18th letter to President Bush, the Senators noted that,
“The memory of the Armenian Genocide underscores our responsibility to
help convey our cherished tradition of respect for fundamental human
rights and opposition to mass slaughters. It is in the best interests
of our nation and the entire global community to remember the past
and learn from these crimes against humanity to ensure that they are
never repeated.” The Senators continue with a clear request of the
President, stating “We respectfully request that you refer to the mass
slaughter of Armenians as genocide in your commemorative statement.”
Senate support for the letter this year jumped nearly 50% over the
level of support for a similar letter in 2004, which garnered 22
cosigners. House support for a similar initiative also increased this
year, with over 175 Representatives pledged to sign the Congressional
letter to President Bush initiated by Congressional Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI). Last year’s
House letter was signed by 169 Representatives.
Senators cosigning the letter to President Bush included: Senate
Democratic Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senate Democratic Whip Richard
Durbin (D-IL), Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Chairwoman Susan Collins (R-ME), Small Business Committee Chairperson
Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Democrat Joe
Biden (D-DE), Armed Services Committee Ranking Democrat Carl Levin
(D-MI), Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee Ranking
Member Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), Banking Committee Ranking Democrat
Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), Rules Committee Ranking Member Christopher Dodd
(D-CT), Small Business Committee Ranking Democrat John Kerry (D-MA),
Environment and Public Works James Jeffords (I-VT), Health, Education
and Labor Committee Ranking Democrat Edward Kennedy (D-MA), George
Allen (R-VA), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Sam Brownback (R-KS), Hillary
Rodham Clinton (D-NY), Norm Coleman (R-MN), Jon Corzine (D-NJ),
Elizabeth Dole (R- NC), John Ensign (R-NV), Russell Feingold (D-WI),
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ),
Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Patty Murray (D-WA), Barack Obama (D-IL),
Jack Reed (D-RI), Rick Santorum (R-PA), Charles Schumer (D-NY),
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and John Sununu (R-NH).
The initiative was led by Senators Corzine and Ensign, who coauthored
the Genocide resolution (S.Res.164) in the 108th Congress, which
marked the 15 anniversary of the U.S. implementation of the Genocide
Convention.
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