TUCSON—The Armenian National Committee of Arizona visited the office of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) on March 2nd as the House Foreign Affairs Committee prepared to mark-up the measure on March 4th. The meeting was led by ANC of Arizona Chairman Yervant Baltajian, who was joined by community activists and constituents Ani and Artie Ehranjian and Sevag Boyadjian.
“We appreciate Congresswoman Giffords’ support of H. Res. 252 and her ability to stand strong against Turkey’s gag rule,” said ANC of Arizona Chairman Yervant Baltajian. “We look forward to building a stronger relationship with the Congresswoman and working closely with her on issues of concern to the Armenian American community.”
Activists discussed a broad range of concerns to the Armenian American community and updated the Congresswoman’s staff, Gabe Zimmerman, on the Armenian Genocide Resolution – H. Res. 252 and the importance of ending the cycle of genocide.
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. She supported H. Res. 252 during the markup of the resolution on March 4th. She also voted for the Armenian Genocide Resolution in the Foreign Affairs Committee in 2007.
“Congresswoman Giffords joined her colleagues in sending a powerful but simple message: Turkey doesn’t get a vote or a veto in the U.S. Congress,” stated ANCA-WR Government Relations Director Lerna Shirinian. “We look forward to working with the Congresswoman on this and other initiatives to help end the cycle of genocide,” she added.
H.Res.252, introduced in March of 2009 by lead sponsors Adam Schiff and George Radanovich (R-CA), and Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), currently has over 137 cosponsors. A parallel Senate measure, spearheaded by Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and John Ensign (R-NV), has 13 cosponsors. Efforts to recognize the Armenian Genocide have been welcomed by a broad range of coalition partners from the Greek, Jewish, Christian and genocide-prevention constituencies. Following a year-long mobilization of the ANCA and Armenian American grassroots activists across the country, H.Res. 252 passed the House Foreign Relations Committee on March 4th with the leadership of Chairman Howard Berman.
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.
