WASHINGTON, DC – A record number of activists from across the U.S. traveled to Washington, DC this April for a series of advocacy meetings on Capitol Hill, coinciding with the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) 10th annual Armenian Genocide Observance.

Over 90 meetings were held with Members of Congress from California, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Virginia.

“We were gratified by the growing number of participants who traveled to Washington, DC for this, our 10th annual Capitol Hill Genocide Observance,” explained ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “Each year, we have seen increased enthusiasm, sophistication, and confidence among our activists in their advocacy for the Armenian Cause.”

Among the numerous issues discussed with Representatives, Senators, and their staff were the Congressional Genocide Resolutions (H.Res.193 and S.Res.164), U.S. assistance to Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh, US-Armenia economic relations–namely the Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) legislation currently pending in the US Senate, maintaining equal levels of military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan, and Armenia’s cooperation in the war on terrorism. Members of Congress were also presented with folders that had detailed information on the issues being discussed.

This year, joining the ANC activists in the Congressional meetings were Colgate University Professor Peter Balakian and the Honorable Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral, lead sponsor of the recently adopted Armenian Genocide motion in the Canadian House of Commons.

During several meetings, Ms. Dalphond-Guiral took the time to brief Congressional Members on the passage of the Canadian resolution and encouraged them to take similar steps to reaffirm the United States record on the Armenian Genocide. Professor Balakian–author of the New York Times best seller “The Burning Tigris: The Armenian Genocide and America’s Response”–detailed to Members the exhaustive record of the US reaction to the Armenian Genocide and pointed out the tremendous amount of US archives available on the Armenian Genocide.

Both Balakian and Dalphond-Guiral were honored by the ANCA during the Capitol Hill Observance of the Armenian Genocide.

Activists met with and visited the following Senate offices: Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), John Cornyn (R-TX), Bob Graham (D-FL), Judd Gregg (R-NH), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), John Kerry (D-MA), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Rick Santorum (R-PA), Arlen Specter (R-PA), John Sununu (R-RI), and Jim Talent (R-MO).

ANC representatives also met with the following House offices: Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) and Representatives Joe Baca (D-CA), Charles Bass (R-NH), Bob Beauprez (R-CO), Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Howard Berman (D-CA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Jeb Bradley (R-NH), Robert Brady (D-PA), Eric Cantor (R-VA), Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), Michael Castle (D-DE), Philip Crane (R-IL), John Culberson (R-TX), Susan Davis (D-CA), John Doolittle (R-CA), Mike Doyle (D-PA), Philip English (R-PA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Sam Farr (D-CA), Chaka Fattah (D-PA), Michael Ferguson (R-NJ), Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), Bob Filner (D-CA), Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Sam Graves (R-MO), Jim Gerlach (R-PA), Jim Greenwood (R-PA), Melissa Hart (R-PA), Wally Herger (R-CA), Joseph Hoeffel (D-PA), Tim Holden (D-PA), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Michael Honda (D-CA), Paul Kanjorski (D-PA), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Patrick Kennedy (D-NH), James Langevin (D-RI), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), William Lipinski (D-IL), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Nita Lowey (D-NY), Edward Markey (D-MA), Robert Matsui (D-CA), Scott McInnis (R-CO), Howard McKeon (R-CA), Marty Meehan (D-MA), Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-CA), George Miller (D-CA), Timothy Murphy (R-PA), John Murtha (D-PA), Devin Nunes (R-CA), Doug Ose (R-CA), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), John Peterson (R-PA), Joseph Pitts (R-PA), Todd Platts (R-PA), Richard Pombo (R-CA), Jon Porter (R-NV), Ed Royce (R-CA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), E. Clay Shaw, Jr. (R-FL), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Don Sherwood (R-PA), Bill Shuster (R-PA), Hilda Solis (D-CA), Fortney Pete Stark (D-CA), Thomas Tancredo (R-CO), Ellen Tauscher (D-CA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), John Tierney (D-MA), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Diane Watson (D-CA), Henry Waxman (D-CA), Curt Weldon (R-PA), and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA).