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WASHINGTON--With only days
remaining until President Obama's long anticipated April 24th
remarks this Friday, the lead sponsors of the Armenian Genocide
Resolution have announced that the number of cosponsors for this
human rights measure has grown beyond the hundred mark,
signaling broad, bipartisan support for official U.S.
recognition of this crime against humanity, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
This legislation, spearheaded by lead sponsors, Adam Schiff
(D-CA) and George Radanovich (R-CA) and Congressional Armenian
Caucus Co- Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R-IL),
calls on the U.S. President to properly recognize the Armenian
Genocide. It was introduced on March 17th and has been referred
to the Foreign Affairs Committee. The resolution is identical
to the one introduced in both the House and Senate in the 110th
Congress, which was adopted by the House Foreign Affairs
Committee and was publicly endorsed by then-candidate for
President Barack Obama, his Vice President Joe Biden, and
current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
"We are gratified that the U.S. Congress 's from the leadership
to committee chairpersons and the bipartisan rank and file 's
clearly understands that America must always address genocide at
the level of American values," said Aram Hamparian, Executive
Director of the ANCA. "America's willingness to stand up
against genocide represents a core moral challenge of the 21st
Century, not, as Turkey would like, a political issue that it
can leverage with pressure, threats, and intimidation."
President Obama, as a Senator and a candidate for the
Presidency, spoke forcefully, clearly, and repeatedly in support
of U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide, frequently
criticizing then- President Bush for failing to properly
characterize and commemorate this crime while in the White
House. Among President Obama's statements have been the
following:
-- "The Armenian Genocide is
not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of view, but
rather a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming
body of historical evidence. The facts are undeniable."
-- "America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully about the
Armenian Genocide and responds forcefully to all genocides. I
intend to be that President."
-- "As a senator, I strongly support passage of the Armenian
Genocide Resolution (H.Res.106 & S.Res.106), and as President I
will recognize the Armenian Genocide"
Joining Congressmen Schiff
and Radanovich as cosponsors of H.Res.252 are:
Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Joe Baca (D-CA),
Michele Marie Bachmann (R-MN), Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Howard
Berman (D-CA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Eric
Cantor (R-VA), Lois Capps (D-CA), Michael Capuano (D-MA), Dennis
Cardoza (D- CA), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), John Conyers (D-MI),
Jim Costa (D-CA), Jerry Costello (D-IL), Joseph Crowley (D-NY),
Danny Davis (D-IL), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX),
David Dreier (R-CA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Chaka Fattah (D-PA),
Bob Filner (D-CA), Barney Frank (D-MA), Rodney Frelinghuysen
(R-NJ), Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Charlie Gonzalez (D-TX), Raul
Grijalva (D-AZ), Jim Himes (D-CT), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Mazie
Hirono (D-HI), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Michael Honda (D-CA), Jesse
Jackson (D-IL), Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Mark Kirk (R-IL),
Leonard Lance (R-NJ), James Langevin (D-RI), John Larson (D-CT),
Barbara Lee (D-CA), Sander Levin (D-MI), Daniel Lipinski (D-IL),
Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Dan Lungren (R-CA), Stephen Lynch (D-MA),
Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Edward Markey (D-MA), Doris Matsui
(D-CA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), James
McGovern (D-MA), Buck McKeon (R-CA), Jerry McNerney (D-CA),
Candice Miller (R-MI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jerrold Nadler
(D-NY), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Richard Neal (D-MA), Devin
Nunes (R-CA), John Olver (D-MA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Donald
Payne (D-NJ), Gary Peters (D-MI), Collin Peterson (D-MN), Jared
Polis (D-CO), Peter Roskam (R-IL), Steven Rothman (D-NJ),
Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Edward Royce (R-CA), Paul Ryan
(R-WI), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Janice
Schakowsky (D-IL), Allyson Schwartz (D-PA), F. James
Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Albio Sires (D-NJ),
Christopher Smith (R-NJ), Mark Souder (R-IN), Zachary Space
(D-OH), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Pete Stark (D-CA), Betty Sue
Sutton (D-OH), Ellen Tauscher (D-CA), John Tierney (D-MA), Dina
Titus (D-NV), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Niki Tsongas (D-MA),
Christopher Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Visclosky (D-IN), Timothy
Walz (D-MN), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Diane Watson (D-CA), Henry
Waxman (D-CA), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Frank Wolf (R-VA), Lynn
Woolsey (D-CA), and David Wu (D-OR).
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