SEN. ROBERT MENENDEZ TO RECEIVE 2009 ANCA-ER FREEDOM AWARD
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Sep 11, 2009
NEW YORK-The Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region
will be honoring United States Senator Robert Menendez with its highest
honor, the prestigious Freedom Award, at the Third Annual ANCA Eastern
Region Banquet hosted by the Armenian Cultural Association of America
on Saturday, October 3, 2009 at Espace in New York City.
"We are proud to be honoring Senator Menendez," commented ACAA
Board Member George Aghjayan. "The Senator from New Jersey acted with
distinction when he placed a hold on Richard Hoagland’s nomination and
has repeatedly demonstrated his commitment to the Armenian American
community."
For more than 16 years, Robert Menendez has been an ardent advocate
of Armenian American concerns in the State of New Jersey and
nationally. From ensuring that the United States honestly addresses
the issue of the Armenian Genocide to speaking out on the right
of self-determination for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, Senator
Menendez has championed truth, justice, and the principles of freedom
so cherished by the Armenian American community.
During the 109th Congress [2005-2006], Senator Menendez received
nationwide attention after making history by placing a hold on the
appointment of Ambassador designate to the Republic of Armenia,
Richard Hoagland. The Armenian American community had overwhelmingly
expressed its concern regarding Hoagland’s testimony before the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee in which he used language denying the
Armenian Genocide. Throughout 2006, the Armenian National Committee
of America led a nationwide campaign to call attention to this matter
and demand that the State Department remove the Hoagland nomination,
offer a complete explanation surrounding the controversial firing
of former Ambassador to Armenia John Marshall Evans, and clarify the
Turkish Government’s influence in the removal of Ambassador Evans.
When the 110th Congress convened in January 2007, President Bush once
again nominated Hoagland to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia without
addressing any of the concerns outlined by the ANCA and the Armenian
American community. The very next day, Senator Menendez placed a second
hold on the nomination. On August 3, 2007, the Hoagland nomination
was withdrawn by President Bush.
When asked about his motivation for placing a hold, Senator Menendez
stated, "I believe that the United States, Armenia, and all who are
committed to human rights should support an ambassador to Armenia who
recognizes the genocide that took place there more than 90 years ago."
In a statement released when he placed the hold on Richard Hoagland in
2006, Senator Menendez said that, "the State Department and the Bush
administration are just flat-out wrong in their refusal to recognize
the Armenian Genocide. It is well past time for American diplomacy to
drop the euphemisms, the wink-wink, nod-nod brand of foreign policy
that overlooks heinous atrocities committed around the world. If
there is any sincerity behind the Bush administration’s rhetoric about
‘liberty on the march’ – if ‘never again’ is to be more than a bumper
sticker slogan – then American diplomacy should consist of nothing
less than unvarnished honesty with our friends and enemies alike. And
we must call genocide by its name."
In June 2008, Senator Menendez led the effort in questioning
the Administration’s nominee, Marie Yovanovitch, to serve as
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia during a Senate Committee on Foreign
Relations confirmation hearing. Senator Menendez forcefully questioned
the Administration’s policy on the Armenian Genocide and submitted
numerous questions concerning the Armenian Genocide, Turkey and
Azerbaijan’s blockades of Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, and foreign aid
to Armenia. Several months later, in September 2008, Sen. Menendez led
the effort in questioning the Administration’s nominee, James Jeffrey,
to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Turkey during his confirmation hearing.
Most recently, in January 2009, Sen. Menendez questioned President
Obama’s nominee, Senator Hillary Clinton, to serve as Secretary
of State during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation
hearing. During the nationally televised hearing, Sen. Menendez stated
"I hope that the support that you gave while you were a Senator to
the question of the Armenian Genocide, that the President-Elect has
himself supported, recognition of that. You know, if we are to say
never again, part of that is ultimately the recognition of what has
happened so that we can move forward. And I hope that you will be an
advocate of having us get off of where we have been and move forward
to a recognition of that part of history that is universally recognized
so that we can move forward in that respect."
Robert Menendez grew up the son of Cuban immigrants in Union City,
New Jersey. He has served as a school board member, a mayor, and a
state legislator. In 1992, he was elected to the United States House of
Representatives. Sen. Menendez has cosponsored every Armenian Genocide
resolution introduced in Congress since his arrival in 1993. He served
on the House International Relations Committee where he twice voted
for passage of the Armenian Genocide resolution in 2000 and 2005. He
became the highest-ranking Hispanic in Congressional history and
the third-highest ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives
when his colleagues elected him the Chairman of the House Democratic
Caucus in 2002. While serving as a Representative, Senator Menendez
repeatedly offered remarks on the floor of the House in commemoration
of the Armenian Genocide.
Senator Menendez was appointed to the United States Senate
by New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine and sworn in on January 18,
2006. In November of that year, he was elected by the people of New
Jersey to serve a full six-year term as United States Senator. He
currently serves on the Senate Committees on Banking, Housing and
Urban Affairs; Energy and Natural Resources; Budget; Finance; and
Foreign Relations. Senator Menendez is also the Chairman of the
Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance,
Economic Affairs, and International Environmental Protection of the
Committee on Foreign Relations.
As a mark of his longstanding bond with the Armenian American
community, in 2005 then-Representative Menendez joined hundreds of
Armenian Americans at a reception in New Jersey honoring His Holiness
Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia. In April 2008,
Senator Menendez met with His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan,
Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of
America. For his outstanding commitment to the community, Senator
Menendez was honored in 2007 by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Dro Gomideh of New Jersey and the ANC Western Region, and most recently
in 2009, by the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern).
Every year, close to 400 Armenian American community members and
leaders join prominent Members of Congress, statewide officials, and
state legislators for the ANCA Eastern Region Annual Banquet. The
2009 Banquet will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception and
silent auction, with the formal program beginning at 8 p.m. For more
information about the Banquet, please contact Nairee Hagopian at
(312) 615-7698 or visit to purchase tickets.
Established in 1969, the Armenian Cultural Association of America
(ACAA) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that assists and supports
impoverished people of Armenian origin; welfare institutions that aid
those of Armenian origin; and educational and charitable organizations
that encourage and develop the Armenian cultural heritage. The ACAA
also aids students, authors, artists and researchers who are pursuing
intellectual efforts in Armenian culture and education, and publishes
educational, scientific and literary books that raise the educational,
cultural and intellectual standards of the community. The ACAA sponsors
projects both in the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora. It
also serves as a repository of historic Armenian national documents
and archives.