LAS VEGAS—The Armenian National Committee of America Las Vegas chapter representatives met with the offices of Nevada Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen to call on the senators to supports the passage of S. Res. 150, the measure recognizing the Armenian Genocide.
“Following last week’s historic vote on H.Res. 296, we know the momentum and overwhelming bipartisan support is there to pass S.Res.150, which is why it’s imperative we continue reaching out to Senators across the country to pressure Senate leadership to support a vote on the resolution”, said ANCA Las Vegas Co-Chair Hera Armenian, who was accompanied in the meetings by local community activists Rafael Oganesyan, PhD. and Andy Armenian.
During the meetings, the ANCA Las Vegas representatives discussed the importance of Armenian Genocide recognition as a means of ensuring a pathway to justice for the Armenian people, ending the cycle of impunity afforded to Turkey in its treatment of minority communities both at home and abroad, and ending Turkey’s gag-rule over elected officials and veto over U.S. human rights policy.
S. Res. 150, entitled “A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that it is the policy of the United States to commemorate the Armenian Genocide through official recognition and remembrance” is a stand alone bi-partisan Senate resolution sponsored by Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) that aims to lock in the U.S. Senate’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide. The resolution has already attracted over 20 co-sponsors with widespread bipartisan support. It is not contingent upon or connected to the overwhelming adoption of H.Res. 296 last week in the U.S. House of Representatives, and it does not require a presidential signature to take effect.
ANCA activists nationwide are reaching out to their U.S. Senators to secure their support for S.Res. 150 and Armenian-Americans in every State are urged to do the same either through direct contact with Senatorial offices or by signing up as an ANCA Rapid Responder at anca.org/rapid.
The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region is the largest and most influential nonpartisan Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues in pursuit of the Armenian Cause.
