U.S. Policy on Genocide | Truth & Justice
POLICY
Leverage near-unanimous U.S. House (405-11) and unanimous Senate (100-0) passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution (2019) to end Executive Branch complicity in Ankara’s denials, as a pivot toward a policy of sustained U.S. pressure on Turkey to abandon its denials, accept its responsibilities, and engage with Armenia and relevant Armenian stakeholders toward a truthful, just, and comprehensive international resolution of its crimes.
PRIORITIES
Official White House condemnation and appropriate commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.
U.S. pressure on Turkey to end its denials, acknowledge the truth, accept its responsibilities, and engage with Armenian stakeholders toward a just resolution of its crimes.
Asserting the right of Americans to seek legal redress for Armenian Genocide-era legal claims, and removing barriers to state and federal level legal actions.
Local, state-level, and Federal initiatives to ensure more school districts include the history and contemporary relevance of the Armenian Genocide in their curricula.
Generate broad-based support for Armenian rights, Turkish responsibilities, and genocidereparations through the ANCA Raphael Lemkin Policy Series and other programs about the Treaty of Sevres and the Wilson’s Arbitral Award establishing the Turkish-Armenian boundary.
Change of the Library of Congress subject heading from Armenian Massacres to Armenian Genocide.
RESULTS
Secured near-unanimous U.S. House passage of H.Res.296 (405-11) in October of 2019 and unanimous Senate passage of S.Res.150 (100-0), establishing official and ongoing Congressional commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.
Worked with Congress, U.S. states (49), media, academia, and entertainment industry to establish the facts of the Armenian Genocide in the American civic arena, isolating the White House as the lone outlier still backing Ankara’s denials.
Countered reckless U.S. government support for the deeply flawed Turkish-Armenian Protocols (2009), generating Congressional, community, and other opposition that derailed these pro-Turkey accords.
Blocked Dick Hoagland’s nomination (2006) as Ambassador to Armenia over his denial of the Armenian Genocide.
Hosted annual Armenian Genocide remembrances on Capitol Hill and in local commemorations across America that featured speeches, published remarks, and Congressional letters by hundreds of U.S. Senators and Representatives.
Secured passage of “Return of Churches” Resolution H.Res.306 (2011), calling on the Turkish Government to return stolen or confiscated Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian religious properties.
Introduced—via legislation and outreach—Armenian Genocide education in California, Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Georgia, Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, Arizona, Texas, Virginia, and Illinois.
Sponsored the screening of two Armenian Genocide films—The Promise and Intent to Destroy— at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival (2018) on the National Mall in Washington, DC.
Hosted ANCA Raphael Lemkin Policy Series lectures on Capitol Hill, featuring presentations by leading genocide and reparations scholars for Members of Congress and legislative staff.
Partnered with In Defense of Christians, the leading advocate for Middle East Christians, in support of Armenian Genocide recognition.
Co-hosted a historic Christian prayer service in the Capitol Rotunda (2019), during which the Armenian liturgical chant “Der Voghormya” was sung by Armenian clerics.
Leverage near-unanimous U.S. House (405-11) and unanimous Senate (100-0) passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution (2019) to end Executive Branch complicity in Ankara’s denials, as a pivot toward a policy of sustained U.S. pressure on Turkey to abandon its denials, accept its responsibilities, and engage with Armenia and relevant Armenian stakeholders toward a truthful, just, and comprehensive international resolution of its crimes.
PRIORITIES
Official White House condemnation and appropriate commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.
U.S. pressure on Turkey to end its denials, acknowledge the truth, accept its responsibilities, and engage with Armenian stakeholders toward a just resolution of its crimes.
Asserting the right of Americans to seek legal redress for Armenian Genocide-era legal claims, and removing barriers to state and federal level legal actions.
Local, state-level, and Federal initiatives to ensure more school districts include the history and contemporary relevance of the Armenian Genocide in their curricula.
Generate broad-based support for Armenian rights, Turkish responsibilities, and genocidereparations through the ANCA Raphael Lemkin Policy Series and other programs about the Treaty of Sevres and the Wilson’s Arbitral Award establishing the Turkish-Armenian boundary.
Change of the Library of Congress subject heading from Armenian Massacres to Armenian Genocide.
RESULTS
Secured near-unanimous U.S. House passage of H.Res.296 (405-11) in October of 2019 and unanimous Senate passage of S.Res.150 (100-0), establishing official and ongoing Congressional commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.
Worked with Congress, U.S. states (49), media, academia, and entertainment industry to establish the facts of the Armenian Genocide in the American civic arena, isolating the White House as the lone outlier still backing Ankara’s denials.
Countered reckless U.S. government support for the deeply flawed Turkish-Armenian Protocols (2009), generating Congressional, community, and other opposition that derailed these pro-Turkey accords.
Blocked Dick Hoagland’s nomination (2006) as Ambassador to Armenia over his denial of the Armenian Genocide.
Hosted annual Armenian Genocide remembrances on Capitol Hill and in local commemorations across America that featured speeches, published remarks, and Congressional letters by hundreds of U.S. Senators and Representatives.
Secured passage of “Return of Churches” Resolution H.Res.306 (2011), calling on the Turkish Government to return stolen or confiscated Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian religious properties.
Introduced—via legislation and outreach—Armenian Genocide education in California, Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Georgia, Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, Arizona, Texas, Virginia, and Illinois.
Sponsored the screening of two Armenian Genocide films—The Promise and Intent to Destroy— at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival (2018) on the National Mall in Washington, DC.
Hosted ANCA Raphael Lemkin Policy Series lectures on Capitol Hill, featuring presentations by leading genocide and reparations scholars for Members of Congress and legislative staff.
Partnered with In Defense of Christians, the leading advocate for Middle East Christians, in support of Armenian Genocide recognition.
Co-hosted a historic Christian prayer service in the Capitol Rotunda (2019), during which the Armenian liturgical chant “Der Voghormya” was sung by Armenian clerics.
