- Reps. Grimm, Schiff, Valadao and Pallone Introduce Legislation During Prime Minister Erdogan’s White House Meetings
- New Measure Calls for a Just and Comprehensive International Resolution of this Crime against Humanity
WASHINGTON—As Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Erdogan continues his official U.S. state visit, a bipartisan group of U.S. Representatives introduced the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Act, a new measure calling upon the President to build upon the U.S. record of having recognized the Armenian Genocide by working toward improved Armenian-Turkish relations based upon Turkey’s full acknowledgement of the facts and ongoing consequences of the Armenian Genocide, and a fair, just, and comprehensive international resolution of this crime, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.
“We welcome today’s introduction of the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Act,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. “This innovative bipartisan initiative, building upon the U.S. record of having recognized the Armenian Genocide, calls for a new U.S. approach to Armenian-Turkish ties that reflects our America values and recognizes that our national interests require an end to Turkey’s denials and a truthful, just, and comprehensive international resolution of this crime.”
The Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Act, introduced by Representatives Michael Grimm (R-NY), Adam Schiff (D-CA), David Valadao (R-CA) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ), reflects and reinforces previous U.S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide as a crime of genocide, citing the U.S. Government’s May 28, 1951 written statement to the International Court of Justice regarding the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, President Ronald Reagan’s April 22, 1981 Proclamation and Congressional adoption of Armenian Genocide legislation in 1975 and 1984.
“Almost a century ago, over a million Armenian men, women, and innocent children were mercilessly put to death by forces of the Ottoman Empire in a horrifying attempt to wipe them from the face of the earth,” said Rep. Grimm. “The U.S. has tirelessly defended justice and human rights throughout the world, and we have a solemn duty to recognize, once and for all, the injustices of the Armenian Genocide. On behalf of the Armenian community in New York City, I am proud to join with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in introducing Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Act.”
“The facts of history are well-settled – 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children were deliberately murdered in the first genocide of the 20th Century,” Rep. Schiff said. “With each passing day, we lose a few more of the dwindling number of survivors. We should all feel a powerful sense of urgency, and the profound call of moral duty to recognize the Armenian Genocide unequivocally and without delay.”
Congressman Valadao stated, “Many of those able to flee during the genocide immigrated to the United States and settled in California. Today, their families continue to grow, thrive, and instill their cultural heritage in their adopted communities. However, the sense of loss as a result of these horrific acts runs deep as many Armenian-Americans in my district personally know a friend or family member who was unable to escape the genocide. We must ensure that the United States government properly acknowledges what so many already know to be true.”
“The time for the U.S. to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide is long overdue,” said Congressman Frank Pallone, Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues. “Armenia stands as a resilient ally of the United States and a nation dedicated to democracy and regional stability, and the Resolution introduced today shows that we will not stand idly by when the truth of this genocide is distorted by the Turkish government.”
“The facts of history are well-settled – 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children were deliberately murdered in the first genocide of the 20th Century,” Rep. Schiff said..
Clean your house door, before you make statements against other nations. 15 million indians, biggest genocide the world has saw, still waiting for justice
Truthbehind: I hope you are implying not that we here in “good ole’ USA” get the truth behind us (as so many of our politicians and pundits are so wont to do), but that we get behind the truth, for a refreshing change! While we CANNOT change the past, is it not imperative that we honestly and fully expose the sins of the past, or would you have us simply airbrush our history of exterminations of the “indians” to which you yourself refer? In any case, the Armenians had nothing to do with it. To decry “statements against other nations”, as you do here, is to ignore the fact that it is the West, and primarily the United States, which has and does continue to the present hour building up the Turkish empire (which was on the flat of its back) both militarily and economically while the Turks today present an ever-greater threat to their neighbors. (All of this is done in search of the filthy lucre of trade in oil and other Central Asian resources.)
Thus the situation with Armenia is like unto one where if the Mandans or the nation of the Ogalala Sioux, or the Iroquois, say, had managed to remain intact by some miracle– and was now threatened by the greed of industrialists. Truly, who would you have remain silent?
Dear Rep. Adam Schiff,
Being an American of Armenian descent I really appreciate your restless efforts; but following the current political events of the world I see that the old East/West Bloc animosities which once was called “Cold War” is flourishing again which in reality was always there.
I’m not a politician but knowing who’s in which Bloc, I can’t imagine in such environment how can you manage to pass that, but again; that’s your job and all I can do is to cross my fingers, keep my hopes up, and wish you Luck.
With my Sincere Thanks,
Hovsep Movsessian
Glendale, California
We thank Rep’s Grim, Schiff, Valadao, & Pallone for the introduction of the Armenian Genocide Truth & Justice Act. Even though it mention’s 1.5 million Armenians were slaughtered, the real fact that up to 2 million Armenians were actually massacred and another one million were either moslemized or fled to other lands. People forget when the Seljuk Turks entered Asia Minor that their were up to 12 Million Armenians living in their homeland, so why was the Armenian Population reduced to practically nothing. Not only did the Seljuk Turks reduce the Armenian Population by massacre & moslemization but so did the Mongol Turks, as well as the diastrous Ottomon Turks whom completed the job up to 1923. More should be told on what the Turk has done to humanity while the countries around the world remain silent on the elimination of the Armenian Christian Population.
I must say,without remiss,that you can admire the courage of a few,and deny the cowardice of so many,blinkers,who dont have the intestinal fortitude,to step,forward,and profess the truth.
Keep coming out with the truth, that’s the only way to bring more attention to this issue!