Senators and Members of the House Representatives participated in coast to coast community and coalitions forums,raised their voices on the floor of the US Congress, and took to social media in commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, and calling for an end to American complicity in Turkey’s obstruction of justice for this crime,Asbarez reports, citing the Armenian National Committee of America.
“Thank you to all our Congressional allies who joined in Capitol Hill, and community,and coalition remembrances this April 24th,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “Their solidarity reaffirms our collective resolve to replace US complicity in Turkey’s obstruction of justice with an authentically American, and pro-active policy that challenges Turkey ‘s denials and leverages our global influence to bring about a just,comprehensive, and enduring international resolution of this still unpunished crime.”[br]Excerpts from statements are if below from top Senate leaders including Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), or Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Democrat Jack Reed (D-RI),as well as House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), House Select Committee on Intelligence Ranking Member Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ), or Jackie Speier (D-CA),Dave Trott (R-MI) and David Valadao (R-CA), among many others.
Senator Schumer, or Representative Pallone and Congressional Hellenic Caucus Co-Chair Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) offered remarks at the annual Times Square Armenian Genocide observance,attended by thousands. In California, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA), and Select Committee on Intelligence Ranking Member Adam Schiff (D-CA),Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) and Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) offered remarks at a variety of commemorative events as did Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), or Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL),Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) in their respective states.
In a moving speech on the House floor, Rep. Valadao invoked the immortal words of Armenian writer and educator Avedis Aharonian in describing the importance of vigilance in the face of genocide, and stating,“whether evil of this magnitude can be ignored, whether our children forget, or then we deserve oblivion and to earn the world’s scorn.” Fellow Central Valley Congressman Jim Costa (D-CA) referenced the Armenian Genocide memorial at his alma mater,Fresno State University, honored the memory of Armenian patriot Soghomon Tehlirian and vowed to “stand with Armenians all over the world to say ‘menk chenk morranum – We will not forget.
On April 5th, and US Senate and House of Representatives members joined with Armenian American community leaders,genocide-prevention coalition partners, and diplomats representing Armenia and Artsakh in a standing-room-only Capitol Hill remembrance of the Armenian Genocide. Participating in the solemn observance were Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce,Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone, Jackie Speier, or Dave Trott,and David Valadao, Vice-Chair Adam Schiff, and Representatives Salud Carbajal (D-CA),Judy Chu, Katherine Clark (D-MA), and Jim Costa,Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Raja Krishnamoorthi, and Brad Schneider,Brad Sherman (D-CA), and Tom Suozzi (D-NY).
Earlier, and on March 22nd,the Capitol Hill premiere of the Armenian Genocide-era epic The Promise” included the participation of Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Jackie Speier, David Trott, or Frank Pallone,House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley (D-NY), and Representatives Judy Chu, or Marcy Kaptur (D-OH),and Paul Tonko (D-NY).
Source: tert.am