08/31/12 - Statement on the release and pardon of Ramil Safarov - I was deeply disturbed to learn of the repatriation and subsequent pardoning of Ramil Safarov, who was convicted of killing Armenian Army officer Gurgen Margaryan. Hungary, where Safarov was supposed to be serving a life sentence, and Azerbaijan owe the international community an expanantion for this terrible subversion of justice. This is an appalling result in the case of a confessed killer.

05/31/12 - Statement submitted for the Congressional Record - Mr. Speaker, I rise today to memorialize and record a courageous story of survival of the Armenian Genocide. The Armenian Genocide, perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923, resulted in the death of 1.5 million Armenian men, women, and children. As the U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire Henry Morgenthau documented at the time, it was a campaign of ``race extermination.''

The campaign to annihilate the Armenian people failed, as illustrated by the proud Armenian nation and prosperous diaspora. It is difficult if not impossible to find an Armenian family not touched by the genocide, and while there are some survivors still with us, it is imperative that we record their stories. Through the Armenian Genocide Congressional Record Project, I hope to document the harrowing stories of the survivors in an effort to preserve their accounts and to help educate the Members of Congress now and in the future of the necessity of recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

This is one of those stories:

MY GRANDMOTHER ARAXI

This story is dedicated to my children so they may always remember their family heritage. It is in memory of my grandfather and grandmother, Garabed and Araxi Kechbouladian. This is my way to honor them and to immortalize my grandmother's legacy.

My ``Nana,'' Araxi, was born in Zeitoun, in 1914, around the time of the Armenian Genocide. My ``Dede,'' Garabed, was born there as well. He died in the 1960's and my Nana lived with us in Germany until the day she died. One of my most vivid memories of her is her singing a particular song. She used to sing this song often. It is called ``Yeraz'' which means dream. I remember the first verse word for word. It goes like this, ``Yes lehsezy me anoush zain, eem zerahzadz mor mod ehr. Paylez neshouil ouraghoutyan. Payz absos vor yeraz ehr.'' It means, ``I heard a sweet voice. It was my mother's. It was a gleam of joy. But, unfortunately, it was just a dream.'' My grandmother would sing it when she was cooking or doing chores. She would cry every time she sang this song. She had never known her mother and her father. Their names were Neshan and Vartouhy Shanlian.

Nobody knows what really happened to my great grandparents. All my grandmother would tell is that she was about a year old, perhaps a little older, when she was taken to a German orphanage in Lebanon, located somewhere between the cities of Sour and Saida. She thought that it was called Ghazir. She had heard many stories growing up and she believed that her parents were either killed during the massacre, in 1915, or died during the deportation. If the Armenians were not massacred, they were ordered by the Turks to leave their lands and march through the deserts towards Syria. Those marches were called death marches because many perished of dehydration, starvation, and exhaustion. If the march did not kill them, they were going to be killed eventually. This must have been my great grandparents' fate. As for my grandmother, she must have been kept by other Armenians. Eventually, she was given to the Germans who were gathering up orphans at that time.

My great grandparents had seven children. Only four of them survived, my grandmother being the youngest one. Their names were Flora, Maritza, Bedros, Stepan, Hagop, Avedis, and my grandmother Araxi. The siblings surviving the Genocide were Maritza, Avedis, and Hagop. However, my grandmother grew up separated from them in the German-run orphanage. She was found by Badvely Aharonian, a pastor and family friend of the Shanlians. Badvely Aharonian's mission was to seek out and reunite children and family members who were displaced during the deportation. My grandmother was about 11-years-old when the Badvely found her. The only way he recognized my ``Nana'' was by the name plate that was hung on my then infant grandmother's neck displaying her full name. This was recorded in the orphanage and was the only proof of her family lineage. She was taken to Cypress where she was reunited with her sister Maritza and her brother Avedis. Her brother Hagop had immigrated to France by then and she never got to meet him. It is not known how her brothers, Bedros and Stepan, died. However, the story of her sister, Flora, and the way she died, was well-known and talked about many decades later in the Zeitounzy community.

When my grandmother had her first child, a daughter, her mother-in-law requested that
she be named Flora, after my grandmother's courageous sister. Flora was very beautiful people told my grandmother. She must have been the oldest, or one of the older ones, as she was married to a doctor and had a child by the time of the massacre. Her husband was arrested and most probably killed soon after. The Turks asked her to convert so that she could become a wife to one of them. They would have spared her and her child if she agreed. My great aunt Flora knew that she would be raped, tortured, and killed if she did not accept their offer. However, she chose not to give in. They must have been marching through a mountainous area. She somehow got away and jumped off a cliff into her death. Some said that she jumped with her child. When I was born, my grandmother requested that my parents name me Flora to continue her sister's legacy.

My grandmother was a strong woman. She continued to live in Cypress with her sister, Maritza, up to the age of 19. Then she moved to Syria where she got married and bore eight children, two of whom died in their childhood. She was widowed too soon and worked hard for her family. Eventually, most of her children immigrated to France and Germany. She moved to Germany with my father and mother. She lived with us for many years and died in our house at the age of 81. Now she rests in peace in the land of the people who took her in as an infant.

It was a privilege to grow up with my grandmother. She was amazing. She was able to sing the German Anthem word for word up to the day she died. She had learned it at the orphanage from her ``Mutter.'' She started her day with prayer and ended her day in prayer. She instilled in me great values such as faith and courage. I learned many things from my grandmother, Araxi.

I am grateful to my Nana for naming me after her courageous sister, Flora. I am grateful that she told me all these stories so that I would know about my heritage and never forget. I am grateful for her many prayers and blessings.

Here I am grandma, telling your story to the whole world! I love you, your granddaughter, Flora

03/28/12 - Tribute to Dr. Kay Mouradian submitted to the Congressional Record - Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year during the month of March, we pay special tribute to the accomplishments made by our nation's most distinguished women.

I stand today to pay tribute to Kay Mouradian, EdD, of South Pasadena, California, who has provided the Los Angeles Community Colleges with strong leadership and dedication for many years. Attaining a B.S. from Boston University, an M.S. from University of California, Los Angeles, and an Ed.D. from Nova Southeastern University, Dr. Mouradian served the Los Angeles Community Colleges as Professor of Health and Physical Education, and advocated in the California Teachers Association for the importance of physical education in California Community Colleges. In addition to her love of education and advocacy for health, Dr. Mouradian is also a very accomplished author.

Dr. Mouradian researched yoga in India for several months for her dissertation. She has published articles about yoga for magazines, with two much admired articles titled: Increasing Body Awareness through Yoga's Relaxation Technique and Developing a Competency-based Syllabus in Yoga for the Community College Curriculum. Kay's efforts did not stop there, as she also published a guide for yoga instructors who taught at the community colleges. In addition, Dr. Mouradian is planning to write books tailored to help people who want to and are interested in retaining a quality body, primarily during their elder years.

After several health crises, Kay's mother asked her to write about her life. This opened a new chapter for Kay. Kay extensively researched the Armenian Genocide of 1915 by reading numerous books and traveling to Turkey. There, she visited the town where 25,000 Armenians, including her mother and her family, were ordered to leave their homes at the time of the Armenian Genocide. She journeyed through the deportation path, where over 2,000,000 Turkish Armenians had to march for countless miles through the desert. Her findings and experience led her to write A Gift in the Sunlight, An Armenian Story.

I ask all Members to join me in honoring a remarkable woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Dr. Kay Mouradian, for her exceptional service to the community.

02/27/12 - Statement submitted for the Congressional Record on Sumgait - Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the scores of Armenian lives lost in the vicious attacks perpetrated by Azerbaijani pogroms against Armenian civilians in the town of Sumgait, Azerbaijan 24 years ago. Beginning on February 27, 1988 and for three days, Azerbaijani mobs assaulted and killed Armenians. Hundreds of Armenians were wounded, women and young girls were brutally raped, and victims of all ages were beaten and tortured and eventually burned to death. Thousands were driven from their homes and forced to become refugees. Armenian homes and businesses were left to be looted and destroyed.

In the years that followed this heinous event, Armenians living in Kirovabad and Baku suffered a similar fate. These pogroms were only part of a pattern of anti-Armenian activities occurring throughout Azerbaijan, setting the stage for two decades of aggression during which the Azerbaijani government initiated a war against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. Thousands of people lost their lives and hundreds of thousands of Armenians were displaced as a result of the fighting. A once thriving population of 450,000 Armenians living in Azerbaijan virtually disappeared.

A cease-fire agreement, brokered in 1994, remains in place today. However, Azerbaijan's continued war-mongering, recent cease-fire violations, and dramatic increase of its military budget threaten to destabilize the Nagorno-Karabakh peace talks. In January 2008, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev warned Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh, ``We are reinforcing our army because we must be ready to free our lands ..... at any moment and by any means.'' Such rhetoric is detrimental to the peace process and is further evidence that this conflict is ongoing and must be resolved. It is my sincerest hope that a democratic and peaceful resolution can be reached, and Nagorno-Karabakh's right to self-determination affirmed.

This April will mark the 97th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, an event the Turkish government, Azerbaijan's closest ally, goes to great and tragic lengths to deny. We must not let such crimes against humanity go unrecognized. Today, let us pause to remember the victims of the atrocities of the Sumgait pogroms. Mr. Speaker, it is our moral obligation to condemn crimes of hatred and to remember the victims, in hope that history will not be repeated.

02/23/12 - Rep. Adam Schiff Statement on 9th Circuit Decision Striking Down California Law on Armenian Genocide-Era Insurance Claims

Pasadena, CA - Today, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) released the following statement after the 9th Circuit ruled in the Movsesian v. Versicherung case, effectively barring Armenian-Americans from seeking the return of stolen Armenian Genocide-era insurance assets through U.S. courts, under California law:

'I am deeply disappointed and mystified by this decision and cannot see how the 9th Circuit could have reached such a flawed legal conclusion. I will be studying the decision in the coming days and will be working with my friends in the Armenian-American community to
determine next steps.

'I was proud to submit an amicus brief on behalf of genocide victims and their families, and I am more than willing to do so again with the United States Supreme Court.'

01/19/12 - William notes: As a tangent, Schiff masterfully avoided mentioning the ANCA even once at both the Hollywood and the Crescenta Valley town hall events (which were back to back and we both organized) as a part of his discussion on efforts in DC. He replaced what would have otherwise been a superlative regarding the ANCA with 'the Armenian community.'

Additionally, at an event with an astronaut on the Friday prior at the local Armenian school Chamlian, he requested from the principal that the event not be made political by having us speak. He, on the other hand, spoke, of course, and made no mention of Raffi H.'s efforts to make the event happen (though that was superficially covered by the principal).

12/16/11 - Tim called to express his boss' disappointment with the final report language on NK in Foreign Ops bill. He called it a step back, and apparently Schiff had several conversations with Lowey this morning expressing his disappointment.

Tim also said that Schiff will be introducing a statutory amendment for next year's funding so that the NKR funding is included in the bill and not report.

12/14/11 - Pallone & Schiff Call on Administration to Support State of Armenia in Meeting with Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon

Washington, DC ? Congressional Armenian Issues Caucus co-chairs Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. and Armenian Genocide Resolution sponsor Congressman Adam Schiff met with Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon Wednesday to address issues related to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. The meeting represented a continuing dialogue between the caucus and the Department of State on the importance of the U.S.-Armenia relationship.

In the meeting the members emphasized the importance of the Armenian Diaspora in the United States and the need to continue supporting the state of Armenia as a strong ally. As part of the relationship the members raised the importance of robust foreign aid funding to be directed to Armenia and the need for parity in military aid between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the President?s annual budget request.

The members also expressed concern over aggressive posturing by Azerbaijan and the importance of U.S. support of Nagorno Karabakh. The members called for policies that will show U.S. support of Nagorno Karabakh such as increased development and humanitarian assistance and their inclusion in the Minsk Group peace process. A continuing concern of the caucus, which was expressed, is a lack of funding directed to Nagorno Karabakh despite congressional approval of a higher level.

?The state of Armenia is a critical ally to the United States and the administration?s policies should reflect the importance of this relationship,? said Pallone. ?While the Armenian Issues Caucus will continue to fight for higher levels of foreign assistance to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, for official recognition of the Armenian Genocide and other issues important to the Armenian community, the State Department must know that strong action is needed on their behalf as well.?

The members called on the administration to take strong action to show support for Armenia and to challenge Turkey and Azerbaijan in their hostile policies towards Armenia.

?It is more important than ever that the United States support the right of self-determination of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh,? Rep. Schiff said. ?Directing these resources to Nagorno-Karabakh will not only help the people of the Karabakh cope with humanitarian crises resulting from the twin blockade by Turkey and Azerbaijan, but it will also help to stabilize the region by demonstrating our continued commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict. I will continue to fight for adequate resources for NKH, as well as formal recognition of the Armenian Genocide.?

11/03/11 - Schiff Urges Senate & House Appropriations Subcommittees to Focus More Resources on the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh

Thursday November 03, 2011

Washington, DC ? Today, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) sent a letter to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittees on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, Sens. Patrick Leahy and Lindsey Graham, and Reps. Kay Granger and Nita Lowey, urging them to direct USAID and the Department of State to focus not less than $10 million for humanitarian and development programs in the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh.

?Given the continued drumbeat of bellicose rhetoric emanating from Azerbaijan, it is more important than ever that the United States support the right of self-determination of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh,? Rep. Schiff said. ?Directing these resources to Nagorno-Karabakh will not only help the people of the Karabakh cope with humanitarian crises resulting from the twin blockade by Turkey and Azerbaijan, but it will also help to stabilize the region by demonstrating our continued commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict.?

Please find the full text of Rep. Schiff?s letter below:

Dear Chairman Leahy, Chairman Granger and Ranking Members Graham and Lowey:

As you begin work on a final version of the FY 2012 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs bill, I urge you to include stronger report language directing USAID and the Department of State to focus more resources on the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh.

U.S. policy toward the South Caucasus states has included promoting the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Given the continued drumbeat of bellicose rhetoric emanating from Azerbaijan, it is more important than ever that the United States maintain a principled stand for peace in this region and support Nagorno-Karabakh and I request that the conference report include language directing USAID to spend not less than $10 million in Fiscal Year 2012 for humanitarian and development programs in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Unfortunately, the State Department has failed to follow Congressional intent to deliver funds to Nagorno-Karabakh. From 2004 to 2010, the State Department expended less than $13 million, while Congressional intent expressed through conference reports and public law called for $46 million for humanitarian and, as of 2010, development assistance. It is therefore vital that the Congress include language requiring that not less than $10 million be expended in Fiscal Year 2012.

I appreciate the inclusion of language regarding Nagorno-Karabakh in the draft House Report that has been circulating since late July, but I believe that given past practice, the State Department will interpret anything less than an explicit directive as continued acquiescence by the Congress of the under-funding of programs in this overwhelmingly Armenian region. I share the belief that American aid must be matched by the capacity of the recipient authority to absorb the assistance, but that caveat should not be used as an excuse to shortchange friends and allies that are considered of vital importance to significant numbers of Americans as well as many Members of Congress in both chambers and from both parties.

These are challenging times for America and the world. I am confident, however, that directing additional resources to Nagorno-Karabakh will not only help the people of the Karabakh people to advance their own economy in the face of a twin blockade by Turkey and Azerbaijan, but it will also help to stabilize the region by demonstrating our continued commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Sincerely,

ADAM B. SCHIFF
Member of Congress

06/16/11 - Remarks submitted to the Congressional Record in honor of Abp. Vatche Hovsepian - Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor His Eminence Archbishop Vatch? Hovsepian upon his 60th anniversary of consecration and ordination into the priesthood.

Archbishop Hovsepian was born in Beirut, Lebanon, where he received his elementary education at the Mesrobian Armenian National School, and later was accepted as a postulate at the Antelias Theological Seminary. Upon successfully completing his studies, he was ordained Father Vatch? Hovsepian, and served in the capacity of assistant dean and instructor of the Seminary.

In 1953, Father Vatch? went to England to further his theological studies, and was simultaneously active in the World Council of Churches Youth Movement. After attending the College of the Resurrection near Manchester, he continued his studies at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. During his stay in Edinburgh, Father Vatch? was a vibrant member of the Theological Commission. When Father Vatch? was assigned to the Pastorate of the Holy Cross Armenian Church of Union City, New Jersey in 1956, he diligently continued to pursue his studies and obtained his Bachelor of Divinity Degree at the New Brunswick Theological Seminary at Rutgers University.

Father Vatch?'s journey continued to Canada during the influx of Armenian immigrants to the region. In 1967, he was designated as ``Bishop of Canada,'' and he immediately organized a new Diocese. Through the efforts, dynamism, and perseverance of the Bishop, a cathedral with school facilities was purchased in Montreal, Quebec.

In 1971, Archbishop Vatch? was elected as the Primate of the Armenian Church of North America Western Diocese. Upon attaining his new role, the Primate arrived at the Diocesan Headquarters, which at the time was a rented house in Los Angeles, California. Immediately, he began searching for a potential site for a cathedral, and a church was soon purchased in Hollywood, California. This church was later transformed into the St. John Armenian Cathedral, where the vast Armenian population living in Hollywood frequented every Sunday.

In 1988, when the disastrous earthquake struck in Armenia, the Archbishop established the Orphan's Fund, through which the Diocese sends aid and medical supplies to the orphans in Armenia regularly. In addition, Archbishop Vatch? was instrumental in the founding of the St. Gregory Alfred and Marguerite Hovsepian Armenian School in Pasadena, California, as well as numerous other Armenian Day Schools in the community. Under Archbishop Vatch?'s leadership and guidance, the Western Diocese purchased a multi-purpose complex in Burbank, California, where the present Diocesan Headquarters stands. Archbishop Vatch? has also actively participated in civic issues, and has met with five Presidents of the United States and various religious leaders.

I ask all Members to join me in thanking Archbishop Vatch? Hovsepian for his selfless dedication and commitment to the Armenian community and wish him well in all future endeavors.

05/23/11 - Remarks submitted for the Congressional Record - Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Hilda Grigorian, a Glendale resident who has dedicated herself to helping those in need around the world, often in some of the most challenging and dangerous locations.

Hilda Grigorian was born and raised in Iran, and migrated to the United States in 1978 in pursuit of the American dream of education and career. Hilda achieved both of these goals?she obtained a bachelor?s degree and MBA and is currently working toward her Ph.D. at Walden University. She also worked in the private sector for over two decades, focusing on international development.

Hilda began her international relief efforts with a trip to her motherland of Armenia, where she volunteered to help small businesses. After several visits to Armenia?s rural villages, she established a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) called Armenia Village Operation, which she started with her own funds and other private funding. The program implemented important projects in the rural villages of Armenia.

In 2005, Hilda traveled to Afghanistan to work with a USAID funded program to help vulnerable, widowed women with business planning and access to funds to regain their businesses which were destroyed by the Taliban. She then worked for UNDP in the youth development project. In 2008, she began working for USAID Afghanistan as a Field Program Officer, stationed in the Province of Nangarhar, which borders Pakistan. In 2009, she was transferred to the remote, rural Province of Ghor in western Afghanistan, where she helped people implement community development programs, created jobs through cash for work projects, and ensured a fair distribution of food to the people of Ghor.

Hilda?s selfless dedication to the people of Afghanistan has immeasurably benefited some of the most at-risk people in the world, and has demonstrated the generous spirit of Americans toward those in crisis. She thrived in an environment that afforded her very basic living conditions, with no luxuries or amenities we often take for granted.

I ask all Members to join me in thanking Hilda Grigorian for her unwavering commitment to the people of Armenia and Afghanistan and wish her well in all future endeavors.

05/13/11 - Mr. Speaker, I rise today to memorialize and record a courageous story of survival of the Armenian Genocide. The Armenian Genocide, perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923, resulted in the death of 1.5 million Armenian men, women, and children. As the U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire Henry Morgenthau documented at the time, it was a campaign of ?race extermination.?

The campaign to annihilate the Armenian people failed, as illustrated by the proud Armenian nation and prosperous diaspora. It is difficult if not impossible to find an Armenian family not touched by the genocide, and while there are some survivors still with us, it is imperative that we record their stories. Through the Armenian Genocide Congressional Record Project, I hope to document the harrowing stories of the survivors in an effort to preserve their accounts and to help educate the Members of Congress now and in the future of the necessity of recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

This is one of those stories:

Submitted by Mary Boghossian

Dear Congressman Schiff,

I am writing you because I admire your longstanding support of Armenians and Americans. My parents, Toros and Santoukht, my husband, Hagop, his mother, Ani, and his two older sisters, Vartouhi and Dikranouhi, were survivors of the Armenian genocide.

As you know, it is important to remember how the Armenian Christian population was treated by the Turkish government from 1895 through 1923. Over one and a half million Armenian men, women, and children underwent unspeakable suffering. They were deported from their homes, slaughtered, butchered, enslaved, and more, without consideration of guilt or innocence. Among those who suffered immeasurably were my parents and my husband?s family.

My father was born in 1895 in Turkey. During the Armenian massacre in 1915, the Turkish government was going to take him away on a death march in the desert. Fortunately, he was hidden behind the door in a house and the Turkish soldiers did not see him, so they left. God saved him and he escaped. At the age of 20, he lost his innocent beloved family along with their belongings. The trauma was so great that he refused to discuss it with his family members for a long time.

My mother was born in 1905 in Turkey. In 1915, my mother?s brother was included with all the people that were marching during the deportation by the Turkish government. My mother started running after him while he was being marched away. She never caught up to him, and never saw him again. At the age of 10, she became an orphan and did not know if any of her family members were dead or alive.

My parents met and were married in Greece, had 7 children, 24 grandchildren. They were married over 63 years and lived over 90 years.

My husband was born in 1910 in Turkey. His parents had three sons and three daughters. My husband always reminded us what happened to his family in the days following April 24, 1915, the conventional starting date of the Armenian Genocide.

He said to us: ?During the massacre, the Turkish government took away my innocent father and my older brother and they never returned home. They were murdered by the Turkish government. My younger brother died of cold and hunger and there was no one around to bury him. My second oldest sister was married to a Turkish man by force and she died of hunger and cold as well. All of our belongings: home, money, jewelry, clothing and our historic homeland, were taken away by the Turks.?

My husband was an eyewitness to the massacre. He was exposed to a terrible tragedy. It changed his entire life. He saw bodies buried below the ground with their heads exposed to the sun. He saw men, women, and children lying on the ground dead.

The surviving members of my husband?s family, his mother and two older sisters, ended up in a refugee camp. His mother worked hard for several years just so they could stay alive. She was a beautiful woman, and had offers to marry several Turkish and ?Armenian? men, but refused to remarry. In the 1920s they were fortunate to emigrate to Israel, and then to the United States in the 1960s.

My husband experienced a great deal of sadness, tragedy, depression, and loneliness. He always loved his family and this country with all his heart. He acknowledged all the Presidents of the U.S. by hanging their pictures on the wall of our home. To him, these men stood for freedom. The freedom this Country gave him allowed him to live like a human being, and express his thoughts. It gave him the courage to speak freely and never be silent again about his beloved families.

As you know, the ?Aloha state? proclamation makes Hawaii the 42nd state to recognize the Armenian Genocide. Countries around the world such as Switzerland, France, Canada, Italy, Sweden, Russia and others, have passed a resolution recognizing the Armenian genocide and proclaim a Day of Remembrance every year on April 24.

The U.S. government should have the willingness to join with countries around the world, and formally acknowledge and commemorate the Armenian genocide each and every year on April 24. If it is not taught in our school and if we ignore the history then we are destined to repeat the mistakes of the past.

Thank you for supporting the remembrance of the Armenian Genocide.

Sincerely,

Mary.

04/13/11 - Schiff writes letter to Obama urging recognition and noting that the protocols were a Turkish ploy.

03/17/11 - Remarks submitted for the Congressional Record - Mr. Speaker, I rise today in Honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the accomplishments made by our nation's most distinguished women during the month of March.

Today, I rise to commend Maro Kechichian of Burbank, whose tireless efforts have benefited her community and beyond. Ms. Kechichian was born and raised in Lebanon, where she received her early education and simultaneously became an active member of the Zavarian Student Association. With a passion for learning, Maro pursued a higher education, and received a Bachelor's Degree in Armenian Literature from St. Joseph University in Beirut, Lebanon. Prior to moving to the United States, Maro taught at Aksor Kassardjian, an Armenian school in a predominantly Armenian suburb of Beirut. She proved to be a valuable asset to the school, and was promoted to Director--a position she held for eight years.

Maro immigrated to the United States in 1984 and joined Homenetmen's Los Angeles Chapter, where she is an active member. She has served as a board member of Homenetmen Western Regional Executive Committee as a secretary for six terms. As a professional, she is a trusted team member who helps organize regional and international events, including the renowned annual Navasartian Games of Southern California.

Ms. Kechichian is a dedicated participant in all her endeavors and she brings a dynamic energy to all her activities. Maro has been elected as a Regional Executive member for Homenetmen numerous times. Her expertise with issues related to Homenetmen leads her to take frequent part in its Central meetings. These meetings take place every four years, and allow Homenetmen leaders from around the world to gather and plan upcoming nationwide activities. It is also noteworthy that Maro was a reporter for Asbarez Armenian Daily Newspaper for 20 years, and covered news from Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

In 1990, Maro was appointed to a special project aimed at establishing a Homenetmen region in Armenia. She stayed in Armenia for three months and was solely committed to this effort. Ever since then, Maro not only continues supporting the region she visited, but also extends a helping hand to Nagorno-Karabakh.

Currently, Maro serves as an Executive Secretary at the Armenian Relief Society, ARS, of the Western Region, and is an advisor for Homenetmen's Los Angeles Chapter. She is also an active volunteer, and spends numerous hours helping Armenian Relief Society's Araz chapter and various fundraising committees.

I ask all Members to join me in honoring a remarkable woman of the 29th Congressional
District, Maro Kechichian, for her exceptional service to the community.

03/13/11 - ANCA-WR district meeting notes with Schiff: Meeting Notes
US Rep Schiff attended along with his staffer, Mary Hovagimian
ANCA-WR representatives included Aida D, Nora H, Zareh S and Haig H
The meeting commenced shortly after 10:15am and concluded at 11:00am
Aida D noted that this was the first ANCA-WR meeting with the Congressman since the end of H.Res.252 (in December 2010). She asked the Congressman for an explanation as to why the resolution was not passed.
US Rep Schiff noted: the resolution would have passed, particularly as more Members of Congress left Washington, DC in the closing days (those leaving included more opponents)
he is unsure as to whether the Speaker and Democrat Caucus leadership was running out the clock or just afraid to say ?no? that Speaker Pelosi did whip at least one instance where a Member expressed his strong wish for the resolution to not be brought to a vote, but that if it was, he would vote for it if a resolution was to move forward at this point, the Republic of Turkey would probably have to done something that really angers Congress otherwise the resolution will run into the same roadblocks.

that a new resolution has the significant hurdle of getting past the new Speaker, Boehner who is a vocal opponent of the resolution noted that there are supporters in Republican Caucus leadership, particularly Cantor US Rep Schiff suggested:

introducing a resolution so there is one ready to go in case Turkey screws up
There can be quick movement without it that movement being the introduction itself
It also sends a message that the issue is not going to go away other methods of injecting the Armenian Genocide an amendment to another bill (was done in previous Congress and horse traded to get movement on the Armenian Genocide resolution itself) a resolution that focuses on Raphael Lemkin but includes the words Armenian Genocide

US Rep Schiff also noted/suggested:
there is a new ban in the US House on statement resolutions (e.g. Schiff was not allowed to introduce one on the situation in Egypt) this ban may not hold up since there are Republicans that are also interested in having such resolutions using his Congressional Record survivor story project as a means of addressing the issue exploring other ways of bringing up the issue such as challenging the TR blockade of AM or raising the issue of church properties in TR

going beyond Armenian Genocide to address other issues such as TIFA and foreign aid which, he said, will probably follow the same trends

Zareh S asked Schiff if the US government has intelligence determining how real Azeri war threats are (rhetoric vs. real possibility for armed conflict)
US Rep Schiff did not confirm such intelligence but noted that war rhetoric does incite AZ violence along the line of contact
Zareh S noted that AZ military expenditures are also an inciting violence along the line of contact Zareh S noted that the US should not be giving US support for military weapons to an oil-rich country
Zareh S noted that US reassurances that such assistance is not directed against Artsakh are meaningless as this just allows the AZ military to spend more of its own budget to that end
Aida D mentioned that the ANCA-WR would consider the Congressman?s thoughts but that has met regionally already and will meet nationally next month to outline its agenda.
US Rep Schiff noted that he is willing to attend to offer his thoughts
US Rep Schiff noted that there is a lot of tension between Russia and Azerbaijan
Nora H turned the discussion back to H.Res.252
noted that the Democratic Party has been silent
the Armenian American community knows that its supporters in Congress were not able to deliver its leadership
the Armenian American community is hard-pressed to be supportive of the Democratic Party with its compounding failures on this issue (Obama?s broken promise, Pelosi?s missed opportunity with H.Res.106 and H.Res.252)
US Rep Schiff noted that he will not campaign in support of Obama to the Armenian American community because of the broken promise
US Rep Schiff implied that he was unsuccessful in getting something from the Administration to support community efforts on the Movsesian case (US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals)
US Rep Schiff acknowledged concern, but indicated that there is opposition and supporters on both sides of the isle and that he understands if the ANCA cannot support the party (but implied that it should remember / not turn its back on its friends)
Post-Meeting Follow Up
Schiff self-invitation to NY meeting needs to be addressed
ANCA-WR federal affairs agenda can be used to direct/prepare for future meetings with US Legislators
Schiff needs direction on how to proceed in the 112th Congress regarding the Armenian Genocide and other issues

02/28/11 - Remarks submitted for the Congressional Record regarding Sumgait - Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the tragic massacre of Armenian civilians at the hands of the Azerbaijani regime. Next week will mark the twenty-third anniversary of the pogrom against Armenians living in the town of Sumgait, Azerbaijan. The 3-day massacre in the winter of 1988 resulted in the deaths of scores of Armenians, many of whom were burnt to death after being brutally beaten and tortured. Hundreds of others were wounded. Women and girls were brutally raped. The carnage created thousands of ethnic Armenian refugees, who had to leave everything behind to be looted or destroyed, including their homes, cars and businesses. The Sumgait Progroms were part of an organized pattern, and were proceeded by a wave of anti-Armenian rallies throughout Azerbaijan, which culminated in the 1990 Progroms in Baku, Azerbaijan?s capital city.

These crimes were never adequately prosecuted by Azerbaijan authorities. Many who organized or participated in the bloodshed have gone on to serve in high positions on the Azeri government. For example, in the days leading up to the Sumgait massacres, a leader of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan, Hidayat Orujev, warned Armenians in Sumgait : ``If you do not stop campaigning for the unification of Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia, if you don't sober up, 100,000 Azeris from neighboring districts will break into your houses, torch your apartments, rape your women, and kill your children.'' Orujev later became the State Advisor for Ethnic Policy to former Azeri President Heidar Aliyev.

Despite efforts by the Government of Azerbaijan to cover up the events of February 1988, survivors of the pogrom have come forward with their stories. They told of enraged mobs, which threw furniture, refrigerators, television sets and beds from apartment balconies and set them afire. Armenians were dragged from their apartments. If they tried to run and escape, the mob attacked them with metal rods, knives and hatchets before the victims were thrown into the fire. One witness said of a victim, ``He was still moving, trying to escape from fire, but five young men were pushing him hack into the fire with metal rods.'' Others told of Interior Ministry troops, who stood by doing nothing.

The Sumgait massacres led to wider reprisals against Azerbaijan's ethnic minority, resulting in the virtual disappearance of Azerbaijan's 450,000-strong Armenian community, and culminating in the war launched against the people of Nagorno Karabakh. That war resulted in almost 30,000 dead on both sides and created more than one million refugees in both Armenia and Azerbaijan.

A cease-fire agreement was brokered in 1994 and remains in place. However, Azerbaijan?s ongoing war-mongering, recent cease-fire violations, and dramatic escalation of its military budget threaten to destabilize the Nagorno Karabakh peace talks. It is my hope that a just and peaceful resolution can be found that takes into account Nagorno Karabakh?s right to self determination.

Mr. Speaker, just as we cannot allow the first genocide of the twentieth century to fade into history, the memory of the victims of Sumgait must not be forgotten either.

06-23-11 - Azerbaijan America Alliance Corporation contacted Timothy Bergreen from Representative Schiff's office on behalf of the government of Azerbaijan regarding Introduction to the Azerbaijan America Alliance