Press Release
ARMENPAC, The Armenian-American Political Action Committee
421 E. Airport Freeway, Suite 201
Irving, Texas 75220
Contact: Jason P. Capizzi, Esq.
Tel: (972) 635-5347
E-mail: jason.capizzi@armenpac.org
Web: <; ARMENPAC SURVEYS ALL 1,944 CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES TO ASSESS THEIR POSITIONS ON ARMENIAN-AMERICAN ISSUES Irving, TX - ARMENPAC, The Armenian-American Political Action Committee, recently issued its 2006 Congressional Candidate Questionnaire to every candidate seeking election to the United States Congress on November 8, 2006. ARMENPAC is glad to be the first Armenian advocacy organization to tackle this very important project, and to apprise the Armenian-American community of its local candidates' positions on Armenian-American issues before Election Day. "ARMENPAC implemented this daunting research project not just to educate the Armenian-American community, but to also educate the candidates on our issues that they will face if elected to Congress," said ARMENPAC Co-Chairs Annie Totah and Edgar Hagopian. "By beginning dialogues and building relationships with Congressional hopefuls early on, ARMENPAC is cultivating a bipartisan majority in support of Armenian-American issues." The 2006 ARMENPAC Congressional Candidate Questionnaire is comprised of questions that succinctly and objectively apprise candidates of the issues affecting the Republic of Armenia and the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. The brief survey broadly addresses, and seeks the candidates' position on, the following topics: United States Reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide, United States - Armenia Trade Relations, Turkish and Azeri Hostility toward Armenia, the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Peace Process, and the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues. The 2006 ARMENPAC Congressional Candidate Questionnaire was mailed, during the week of July 17, 2006, to this year's 1,944 candidates running for seats in either the United States Senate or the United States House of Representatives. Each candidate received a unique "username" and "password" granting them access to a secure area of the ARMENPAC website, <; , so that they can submit their responses to the ARMENPAC Congressional Candidate Questionnaire on-line. Once a candidate responds to the Congressional Candidate Questionnaire, his or her answers are posted in real time in the "Candidate Response" section of the ARMENPAC website for all to view and consider before Election Day. The ARMENPAC Board of Directors will issue its list of endorsed candidates before October, 2006 based, in part, on the information collected in response to the Congressional Candidate Questionnaire. "If your local candidates have not yet responded to the 2006 ARMENPAC Congressional Candidate Questionnaire, please call their campaign office today and request that they do so before August 15, 2006. Their response, or lack of response, is crucial as ARMENPAC strives to identify which candidates are deserving of ARMENPAC's support and endorsement," said ARMENPAC Executive Director Jason Capizzi. Candidates can download additional copies of the 2006 ARMENPAC Congressional Candidate Questionnaire from the ARMENPAC website, and can contact ARMENPAC at 877-286-1046 if they misplaced their unique "username" and "password" and need another. "By issuing the 2006 Congressional Candidate Questionnaire, ARMENPAC has achieved much success by making 1,944 individual candidates aware of the issues that are most important to the Armenian-American community. We must, however, expand upon that success by contacting our local candidates TODAY to let them know that their responses to this survey are of importance not just too Armenian-American voters, but everyone who desires peace, security and stability in the Caucasus region," said ARMENPAC Co-Chairs Annie Totah and Edgar Hagopian. "Additionally, we all must make sure that we are registered to vote, and do vote on Election Day, November 8, 2006." The voter registration forms of all fifty (50) states are available on the ARMENPAC website, <; . Just click on the name of your state in the "Register to Vote" link, download your state's form, and mail it to the designated agency before your state's registration deadline. If you do not have access to the Internet, contact ARMENPAC at (877) 286-1046 and we will gladly mail you copies of your state's application forms. ARMENPAC is an independent, bipartisan political action committee established to shape public policy by raising awareness of, and advocating for, Armenian-American issues. ARMENPAC provides financial support to federal officeholders, candidates, political action committees and organizations that actively support issues of importance to Armenian-Americans. For more information and how to join ARMENPAC, please call (877) 286-1046 or visit <; .