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House International Relations Committee Set to Mark Up Armenian Genocide Resolution

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  • House International Relations Committee Set to Mark Up Armenian Genocide Resolution

    House International Relations Committee Set to Mark Up Armenian Genocide
    Resolution
    TOMORROW Thursday, September 15!

    The House International Relations Committee is set to "mark-up" H. Res. 316
    TOMORROW Thursday, Sept. 15 beginning at 10:30am. You may watch the committee
    proceedings from their website
    <http://wwwc.house.gov/international_relations/>.

    To date, 23 of the 50 members of the House International Relations Committee
    are co-sponsors of this bill. Support by Committee members is crucial to its
    passage. If your Representative serves on this committee and has yet to
    cosponsor H. Res. 316 (see attached committee list which includes their DC
    office phone and fax numbers), please CALL their office TODAY urging them to do
    so, and to vote YES when it is considered by the committee tomorrow morning.
    When speaking with your Representative you may choose to refer to the attached
    list of talking points on H. Res. 316.

    It is vital that we secure as many possible co-sponsors of this legislation
    prior to its consideration in Committee. Once the bill is reported out of
    committee, additional co-sponsors cannot be added. Currently, 116 Members of
    Congress have signed onto this important bill (see attached list). Please
    contact your Representative TODAY and urge him/her to co-sponsor this
    bi-partisan measure.

    *************
    Sample Letter
    *************

    Dear Representative last name,

    I am writing to urge you to cosponsor H. Res. 316, the Armenian Genocide
    Resolution introduced by Congressmen Radanovich, Schiff, Knollenberg and
    Pallone. This important bipartisan bill reaffirms the U.S. record on the
    Armenian Genocide and recalls America's intervention to save those that
    survived.

    As you may know, the Armenian Genocide was perpetrated by the Ottoman Turkish
    government from 1915 to 1923, massacring 1,500,000 Armenian men, women, and
    children, deporting an additional 500,000 survivors, and practically
    eliminating a 2,500-year Armenian presence in its historic homeland. These
    horrific "crimes against humanity" must not be forgotten.
    (Tell your story)
    Sincerely,
    Your name
    Your address

    ***************************************
    How to contact your Member of Congress:
    ***************************************

    1. Send a pre-written letter to your Representative by entering your zip code
    in the "Contact Congress" box on our web-site at <http://www.aaainc.org> and
    hitting "Go!"

    2. Draft a personal letter to your Representative.

    The heading for your letters should appear as:

    The Honorable full name
    United States House of Representatives
    Washington, DC 20515

    Dear Representative last name:

    To find your Representative's fax number, enter your zip
    code in the "Contact Congress" box on our web-site at
    <http://www.aaainc.org> and press "Go!" or call the U.S.
    Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be
    connected to your Representative.

    3. Or... call the US Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be
    connected to your Representative. If you do not know the name of your
    Representative, enter your zip code in the "Contact Congress" box on our
    web-site at <http://www.aaainc.org> and press "Go!"


    Talking Points - H. Res. 316, a resolution that would reaffirm the United
    States record on the Armenian Genocide
    *In June, Representatives George Radanovich (R-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Joe
    Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) introduced an Armenian
    Genocide resolution that would reaffirm the United States record on this crime
    against humanity.

    *H. Res. 316, which currently has the bipartisan support of nearly 120
    cosponsors and the pan-Armenian community, calls upon the President to "ensure
    that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate
    understanding" of the "Armenian Genocide" and to "accurately characterize the
    systematic and deliberate annihilation of 1,500,000 Armenians as genocide" in
    the President's annual message.

    *This April marked the 90th anniversary of the attempted annihilation that
    occurred in the Ottoman Empire from 1915-1923, where one and a half million
    Armenians were killed and over a half a million more survivors were exiled.

    *The U.S. National Archives is replete with thousands of pages documenting the
    premeditated extermination of the Armenian people. As the Armenian Genocide
    was being committed, the United States launched an unprecedented diplomatic,
    political and humanitarian campaign to end the carnage and protect the
    survivors.

    *The U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire during the Armenian Genocide, Henry
    Morgenthau, acting on instructions from Secretaries of State William Jennings
    Bryan and Robert Lansing, protested the slaughter of the Armenians to the
    Ottoman leaders. In a cable to the Department of State on July 16, 1915,
    Ambassador Morgenthau stated that "a campaign of race extermination is in
    progress."

    *In 1981, President Ronald Reagan issued a presidential proclamation that said
    in part: "like the genocide of the Armenians before it, and the genocide of the
    Cambodians which followed it -- and like too many other persecutions of too
    many other people -- the lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten..."
    President George W. Bush has already set forth the textbook definition of
    genocide in his successive April 24th commemorative statements by using the
    expressions "annihilation" and "forced exile and murder" to characterize the
    decimation of the Armenian population.

    *H. Res. 316 is similar to the version that nearly passed the House of
    Representatives in 2000. The previous bipartisan measure, which had the
    support of 143 cosponsors, and was scheduled for a vote on the House floor was
    withdrawn at the last minute.

    *The Turkish government vigorously opposes the resolution, and has called upon
    its hired lobbyists, the Administration and Members of Congress to deny that
    genocide occurred and to assert irreparable damage to the U.S.-Turkey
    relationship should Congress adopt the bill.

    *Despite Turkey's ongoing denial and revisionism, a majority of the states have
    issued proclamations properly recognizing the cataclysm of 1915.

    *The adoption of H. Res. 316 would affirm the proud and groundbreaking chapter
    in U.S. history to halt the Armenian Genocide, and renew our commitment to
    prevent other occurrences of man's inhumanity to man.


    Members of the House International Relations Committee (** Currently Cosponsor
    of H. Res. 316)

    Name Phone Fax
    Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY)** 202-225-2601 202-225-1589
    Rep. J. Gresham Barrett (R-SC)202-225-5301 202-225-3216
    Rep. Shelley Berkely (D-NV)** 202-225-5965 202-225-3119
    Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA)** 202-225-4695 202-225-3196
    Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)** 202-225-4811 202-225-8941
    Rep. John Boozman (R-AR) 202-225-4301 202-225-5713
    Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)** 202-225-3401 202-225-2266
    Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN) 202-225-2276 202-225-0016
    Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-CA)** 202-225-6131 202-225-0819
    Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH) 202-225-2216 202-225-3012
    Rep. Ben Chandler (D-KY) 202-225-4706 202-225-2122
    Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY)** 202-225-3965 202-225-1909
    Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R-VA) 202-225-4261 202-225-4382
    Rep. William Delahunt (D-MA)**202-225-3111 202-225-5658
    Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY)** 202-225-2464 202-225-5513
    Del. Eni Faleomavaega (D-AS) 202-225-8577 202-225-8757
    Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) 202-225-2635 202-226-4386
    Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) 202-225-4806 202-225-5686
    Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-CA) 202-225-5811 202-225-1100
    Rep. Mark Green (R-WI)** 202-225-5665 202-225-5729
    Rep. Katherine Harris (R-FL) 202-225-5015 202-226-0828
    Rep. Henry Hyde (R-IL), Chairman202-225-4561 202-225-1166
    Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA)** 202-225-3906 202-225-3303
    Rep. Peter King (R-NY) 202-225-7896 202-226-2279
    Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA), Ranking Member202-225-3531 202-226-4183
    Rep. James Leach (R-IA) 202-225-6576 202-226-1278
    Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)** 202-225-2661 202-225-9817
    Rep. Connie Mack (R-FL) 202-225-2536 202-226-0439
    Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) 202-225-2401 202-225-5955
    Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN)** 202-225-6631 202-225-1968
    Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI)**202-225-8171 202-225-2667
    Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) 202-225-3461 202-226-4169
    Rep. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)** 202-225-7919 202-226-0792
    Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA)**202-225-5256 202-225-0027
    Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) 202-225-2831 202-226-6288
    Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ)** 202-225-3436 202-225-4160
    Rep. Michael Pence (R-IN) 202-225-3021 202-225-3382
    Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) 202-225-6565 202-225-5547
    Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) 202-225-2415 202-225-0145
    Rep. Illeana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)202-225-3931 202-225-5620
    Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA)** 202-225-4111 202-226-0335
    Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA)** 202-225-4176 202-225-5828
    Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA)** 202-225-5911 202-225-5879
    Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) 202-225-8901 202-225-5893
    Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ)**202-225-3765 202-225-7768
    Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) 202-225-7882 202-226-4623
    Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA)** 202-225-7084 202-225-2422
    Rep. Gerald Weller (R-IL) 202-225-3635 202-225-3521
    Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL) 202-225-3001 202-225-5974
    Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)** 202-225-2452 202-225-2455

    *********************************************
    Members of Congress Signed on to H. Res. 316
    Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA)
    Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA)
    Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI)
    Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
    Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY)
    Rep. Tom Allen (D-ME)
    Rep. Rob Andrews (D-NJ)
    Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
    Rep. John Barrow (D-GA)
    Rep. Charles Bass (R-NH)
    Rep. Shelly Berkley (D-NV)
    Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA)
    Rep. Michael Bilirakis (R-FL)
    Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY)
    Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)
    Rep. Jeb Bradley (R-NH)
    Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
    Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)
    Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA)
    Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA)
    Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-CA)
    Rep. Lacy Wm. Clay (D-MO)
    Rep. John Conyers (D-MI)
    Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA)
    Rep. Jerry Costello (D-IL)
    Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY)
    Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL)
    Rep. William Delahunt (D-MA)
    Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
    Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL)
    Rep. John Dingell (D-MI)
    Rep. Michael Doyle (D-PA)
    Rep. David Dreier (R-CA)
    Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY)
    Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA)
    Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA)
    Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
    Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL)
    Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA)
    Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ)
    Rep. Al Green (D-TX)
    Rep. Mark Green (R-WI)
    Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)
    Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY)
    Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ)
    Rep. Michael Honda (D-CA)
    Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY)
    Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA)
    Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL)
    Rep. Sue Kelly (R-NY)
    Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI)
    Rep. Dale Kildee (D-MI)
    Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL)
    Rep. James Langevin (D-RI)
    Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)
    Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI)
    Rep. John Lewis (D-GA)
    Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL)
    Rep. Frank LoBiondo (D-NJ)
    Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)
    Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY)
    Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA)
    Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
    Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA)
    Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA)
    Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY)
    Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN)
    Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI)
    Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA)
    Rep. James McGovern (D-MA)
    Rep. John McHugh (R-NY)
    Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA)
    Rep. Cathy McMorris (R-WA)
    Rep. Michael McNulty (D-NY)
    Rep. Marty Meehan (D-MA)
    Rep. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
    Rep. Candice Miller (R-MI)
    Rep. Jerry Moran (R-KS)
    Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)
    Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA)
    Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA)
    Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)
    Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA)
    Rep. John Olver (D-MA)
    Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ)
    Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN)
    Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA)
    Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI)
    Rep. Steve Rothman (D-NJ)
    Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA)
    Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA)
    Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL)
    Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)
    Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA)
    Rep. Jim Saxton (R-NJ)
    Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-PA)
    Rep. Joe Schwarz (R-MI)
    Rep. E. Clay Shaw (R-FL)
    Rep. Christopher Shays (R-CT)
    Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA)
    Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL)
    Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)
    Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN)
    Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA)
    Rep. Ted Strickland (D-OH)
    Rep. John Sweeney (R-NY)
    Rep. John Tierney (D-MA)
    Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO)
    Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
    Rep. Peter Visclosky (D-IN)
    Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA)
    Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA)
    Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY)
    Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)
    Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA)
    Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA)

  • #2
    Lawmaker changes stance

    Lantos backs Armenian genocide vote
    Lawmaker changes stance after accusing Turkey of not failingto support U.S. interests
    By Lisa Friedman, WASHINGTON BUREAU



    WASHINGTON — In a momentous victory for California's sizable Armenian communities, the House International Relations Committee voted overwhelmingly Thursday to declare the massacre of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire an act of genocide.
    In a surprise move, Rep. Tom Lantos,

    D-San Mateo, declared that after years of opposing the genocide resolution, he now would support it. The only Holocaust survivor in Congress and the founder of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, Lantos had long cited Washington's close relationship with Ankara as a key reason for objecting to the resolution.

    The separate resolutions by Reps. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, and George Radanovich, R-Fresno, still must pass several hurdles. The State Department and House Speaker Dennis Hastert fiercely oppose recognition of the Armenian genocide, arguing its passage would rupture U.S.-Turkish relations. Both are expected to try to block a full House vote.

    Nevertheless, Armenians on Thursday said by voting 35-11 for Schiff's bill and 40-7 for Radanovich's, the panel sent a strong message that Congress should not equivocate when it comes to recognizing crimes against humanity.

    "If the United States does not step up and acknowledge this history and show moral backbone and clarity on these sorts of issues, people are going to be disappointed in us. We believe in this country because it does the right thing," said Armen Carapetian, spokesman for the Armenian National Committee of America.

    The panel voted after more than three hours of tense debate in which lawmakers invoked the Holocaust, slavery, Darfur and the fate of American Indians.

    Every Californian on the panel voted for the resolutions.

    In 2000, when the issue came before the same committee, Lantos told his colleagues, "There is a long list of reasons why our NATO ally, at this point, should not be humiliated."

    On Thursday, Lantos said that while he was "profoundly moved and anguished by the Armenian people's horrendous
    suffering," he remained unconvinced that the massacres they endured technically constitute genocide.
    Instead, he cited Turkey's unwillingness to allow U.S. troops to use its territory to launch an invasion of northern Iraq as well as the country's growing closeness with Syria even in the wake of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's assassination.

    "Turkey ignored our interests," Lantos said. "Our allies must understand that if they expect the U.S. to support matters of great interest to them, we expect them to support the things that are important to the United States."

    Armenians estimate that more than 1.5 million died and hundreds of thousands of others were displaced in a planned genocide campaign from 1915 to 1923. Turkey maintains there was no systematic extermination plan, that only about 300,000 Armenians were killed, and that Armenians also killed thousands of Turks in the tumultuous last years of the Ottoman Empire.




    Rep. Dan Burton, D-Ind., who led the debate against the resolutions, argued that historians disagree that evidence of genocide exists and said the fact that Armenians today live peaceably in Turkey is "proof that the genocide standard can not be met."

    Nursen Mazici, a Turkish visiting professor at Georgetown University who came to watch the proceedings, said she was disappointed by the vote and said she thinks most U.S. lawmakers don't know the full history of the Ottoman Empire after World War I.

    "Many Armenians were killed, but at the time many Turks were killed by Armenian terrorists. I am so sorry for them, for both sides," Mazici said.
    "All truth passes through three stages:
    First, it is ridiculed;
    Second, it is violently opposed; and
    Third, it is accepted as self-evident."

    Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

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