ANCA Endorses Rep. Eliot Engel for Reelection in New York’s 16th Congressional District

June 16, 2020

WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has endorsed Representative Eliot Engel (D-NY) in his campaign for reelection in New York’s 16th Congressional District, home to a large and vibrant Armenian American community across the northern Bronx and the southern half of Westchester County.

Rep. Engel (A+ ANCA rating) – who is facing a Democratic primary election on Tuesday, June 23 and then a general election this November – has long been a champion of Armenian American legislative priorities, co-authoring the Royce-Engel Peace Proposal to hold Azerbaijan accountable for its attacks against Artsakh and Armenia and – most notably – fast-tracking the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.296) to passage on the House floor last October.

“We are proud to endorse Congressman Engel – a great friend and ally to our local community in the Bronx and Westchester – who, as Chairman of the influential Foreign Affairs Committee, has been a powerful national champion for Armenian Americans from across the United States,” said ANCA National Board Member Ani Tchaghlasian. “He has always been there for us – most recently as the senior legislator who struck while the iron was hot to fast-track passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution – and we will always be there for him. We look forward to helping him win reelection and to working with him in the coming session of Congress.”

Chairman Engel was a strong, steady, guiding hand behind the near-unanimous passage of H.Res.296, Armenian Genocide Resolution – a historic vote that effectively ended Congressional complicity in Turkey’s denial of the Armenian Genocide. It was this overwhelming victory in the House that set the stage, a few weeks later, for unanimous passage of the Armenian Genocide resolution in the U.S. Senate. Working across the aisle, he created the conditions for the resolution to forego the lengthy committee process – avoiding extensive mark-ups and eliminating the threat of poison-pill amendments. His decisive action prevented unnecessary delays that would have, very likely, given the Turkish government time to further ramp up its opposition, helping ensure an overwhelming, 405 to 11 bipartisan passage of this measure.

The ANCA closely tracks the performance of every incumbent U.S. Senator and Representative across a broad array of pro-Armenian legislative metrics, carefully scoring and objectively grading each legislator seeking re-election. As a public service to voters interested in factoring Armenian American insights into the diverse set of criteria they consider when voting, the ANCA circulates unbiased, fact-driven, merit-based Report Cards and Endorsements each election cycle and this year is no different. A long-standing friend, with deep ties to the Armenian American community that stretches back decades, Chairman Engel has consistently gotten A+ grades from the ANCA. Rep. Engel has stood alongside the ANCA through every hurdle and victory on Capitol Hill. He traveled to Yerevan in 2014 to commemorate the 99th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and he has long been a champion of Armenian American foreign aid priorities.

To learn more about Rep. Engel’s A+ rating here.

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