As President Obama visits the epicenter of the Armenian community in the United States, religious and community leaders will hold a press conference to call on the President to stop blocking the display of an Armenian Genocide-era rug woven by orphans of that crime against humanity. The rug, which took Armenian orphans 10 months to weave and has 4,404,206 individual knots, was presented to President Calvin Coolidge in 1925.

Hosted at the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (Subcommittee on European Affairs), U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland answered questions regarding the upcoming EU Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius, and whether or not the E.U. and the U.S. will continue to work with Armenia after its “surprising” choice to join the Russia-led Customs Union, made public in early September 2013.

Today, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) called on the Obama Administration to allow exhibition of the “Armenian Orphan Rug” at the Smithsonian Museum. The rug, woven by orphans of the Armenian Genocide in 1920, was presented to President Calvin Coolidge in 1925 as thanks for U.S. assistance during the genocide.

Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Co-Chair and Founder of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, sent a letter to President Obama requesting that the President allow a rug woven by orphans of the Armenian Genocide to be loaned out for display. As a member of Congress with multiple Armenian woven rugs on display in his Washington D.C. Congressional office, Pallone requests that any practical challenges preventing the display of the rug be explained.

Representatives Adam Schiff (D-CA) and David Valadao (R-CA) are urging their Congressional colleagues to join them in co-signing a letter urging the White House to reverse its decision to block the public display of a rug woven by Armenian orphans and gifted to President Calvin Coolidge in appreciation for U.S. humanitarian assistance following Ottoman Turkey’s genocide of over 1.5 million Armenians from 1915-1923, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

Congressman Brad Sherman, in a letter to President Obama’s Chief of Staff Denis McDonough criticizing the White House’s decision to keep the Armenian Orphan Rug in storage, has called for the permanent public display of this historic artwork at the Smithsonian Institution, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

As Syria’s civil war continues to rage in the heart of the Levant, no population is more vulnerable than Syria’s religious minorities, including over a hundred thousand Armenians living in the country.

In yet another demonstration of the enduring and increasingly energized Armenian-Hellenic partnership, U.S. Representatives Michael Bilirakis (R-FL) and Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus, are backing the adoption of the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution (H.Res.227), reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

Doug Frantz, the notorious Genocide denier and former Los Angeles Times managing editor who lost his job when he blocked the publication of an article about the Armenian Genocide penned by journalist Mark Arax has been appointed the new spokesperson of the US State Department, a White House memo reported.

Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman, Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY) posted on his Web site Thursday that he is withdrawing his support for the proposed US air strikes against Syria.

The Armenian National Committee of America, citing the Armenian American community’s profound concern for the fate of Syria’s Armenian population and the welfare of all of Syria’s citizens, circulated letters Wednesday across Capitol Hill calling on Members of the U.S. House and Senate to oppose legislation authorizing U.S. strikes against Syria.

Last week I wrote about an important race for Congress taking place in Massachusetts’ s 5th district with Middlesex County Sheriff Pete Koutoujian as a very viable likely frontrunner for the seat vacated by Ed Markey when he was elected to the Senate.

The U.S. Department of State, in response to concerns raised by the Armenian National Committee of America and a broad cross-section of Armenian American civic and church leaders, has stressed the urgency of ongoing U.S. diplomatic initiatives to remind all sides in Syria of their obligations under international law to protect civilians and to allow humanitarian organizations safe access to all people in need.

Senior Congressional leaders serving on key foreign policy and appropriations panels have lent their support to a groundbreaking human rights measure that seeks improved Armenian-Turkish ties based upon Turkey’s acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide and a just international resolution of this still unpunished crime, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).