PRESS RELEASE
ANC PAC
104 N. Belmont St.
Suite 200B
Glendale, CA 91206
ANC-PAC Issues Strong Endorsement ForOrange County Republican Congressman
Congressman Ed Royce is a Proponent of Stronger U.S.-Armenia Relations
October 24, 2006
LOS ANGELES, CA – Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA) was endorsed this week by
the Armenian National Committee – Political Action Committee (ANC-PAC), the
nation’s largest grassroots Armenian American political organization. Royce,
a Republican from Orange County, has been a staunch advocate for his Armenian
American constituents in California’s 40th Congressional District.
"Ed Royce has earned the vote of every Armenian American in his district,"
commented ANC-PAC spokesperson Ara Malazian. "His principled leadership on
the powerful House International Relations Committee and his longstanding and
active ties to our community all across his congressional district give us
great faith in wholeheartedly endorsing his reelection to the U.S. Congress,"
Malazian added.
Earlier this year members of the ANC of Orange County met with Congressman
Royce to thank him for co-sponsoring the Crowley-Sherman-Royce Amendment to
the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2006. That amendment prohibits
the Export-Import Bank from providing any assistance "to develop or promote
any rail connections or railway-related connections that traverse or connect
Baku, Azerbaijan; Tbilisi, Georgia; and Kars, Turkey, and that specifically
exclude cities in Armenia." Congressman Royce was also fully briefed on both
the firing of former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans for honestly
referencing the Armenian Genocide and provided background on the ANCA’s
opposition to President Bush’s nominee to replace Evans.
Since his election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1992, Royce has
vigorously addressed the concerns of his Armenian American constituents in
Orange County. By providing outstanding constituent services through his
District Office in Fullerton and by working in the U.S. Capitol to advance
pro-human rights legislation related to Armenia, the Congressman has emerged
as a leading voice for his Armenian Americans. The Congressman has proudly
served for years as a member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues
and has consistently endorsed legislation to encourage stronger economic
relations between the United States and Armenia.
"The ANC-PAC’s endorsement is also the result of Congressman Royce’s
proven track-record in leading the charge in Congress to stop the ongoing
genocide in Sudan. We know that he has visited Darfur and seen a modern
genocide with his own eyes. We stand shoulder to shoulder with him in working
to find an international solution that will immediately stop the bloodshed in
Darfur," Malazian added.
In 2004, the Armenian National Committee of Orange County awarded
Congressman Royce with its prestigious "Freedom Award" for championing the
concerns of his constituents in Washington, DC. The event, held at the
Armenian Community Center in Santa Ana, was attended by hundreds of the
Congressman’s constituents.
More recently, Royce has been an outspoken advocate for ending Turkey’s
shameful denial of the Armenian Genocide in which over 1.5 million Armenian
Christians were killed from 1915 to 1923. In September of 2005, the
Congressman participated in a markup of two Armenian Genocide resolutions in
the House International Relations Committee, on which he serves as a senior
member. With his full support, both measures, which call for proper U.S.
recognition of the Armenian Genocide and urge Turkey to end its decades long
denial of this crime against humanity, were overwhelmingly adopted.
Unfortunately, despite Royce’s backing, the Speaker of the House continues to
block both measures from being voted on by the full membership of the House
of Representatives.
Congressman Royce currently serves as the Chairman of the House
International Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on International Terrorism
and Nonproliferation. He is also being seriously considered by Republican
leaders to chair the full committee, given the retirement of the current
chairman, Congressman Henry Hyde of Illinois.
The ANC-PAC is a non-partisan federally registered political action
committee established to support campaign committees for Members of Congress
who share the values of the Armenian American community. The ANC-PAC is at
the forefront of efforts to ensure that the voice of the Armenian American
community is clearly heard in our nation’s capital. The ANC-PAC continues a
century old tradition of Armenian Americans engagement on the public policy
issues facing national political leaders, both in the U.S. Congress and the
White House.