05/16/12 - Statement submitted for the Congressional Record - Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the 97th Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. Today, I remember the one-and-a-half million Armenians that endured unspeakable suffering and loss at the hand of the Ottoman Empire during the first World War.

Only with a thorough examination of history and open acknowledgment of the past will the plight of the Armenians be fully understood. As my colleagues know, last month was Genocide Awareness month. In addition to the genocide of Armenians, the 20th century bore witness to the loss of 6 million Jews and 400,000 other persons deemed ?non-desirable? by the Nazis, and the modern-day horrors in Cambodia and Rwanda. All too often, we have not learned from past genocides.

As the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states ?No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment? and that ?Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.?

Though nothing changes the fact that mass killings and unspeakable acts of brutality occurred, today I wish to learn from the past to better bring about hope for a brighter, more peaceful future and reconciliation of the people of Armenia and Turkey.

10/25/11 - Rep. Lamborn came to Armenian Independence Day celebration on Capitol Hill. He was the first person to show up and stayed a long while until he was able to speak to the audience. We spoke and he mentioned you by name as an active Colorado Armenian American! I told him that you would be very happy to hear that he was there.

He talked about the importance of supporting Armenia's freedom and independence. He also said that the Armenian people will survive and thrive because of their strong faith and families. He also mentioned that Armenians have been 'tragically oppressed by powerful neighbors.'

04/15/11 - Statement submitted for the Congressional Record - Mr. Speaker, on April 24, 2011, the world will commemorate Armenian Remembrance Day and remember the one-and-a-half million Armenians that endured unspeakable suffering and loss at the hand of the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

In addition to the loss of so many Armenian lives, the twentieth century also bore witness to the loss of six-million Jews and four-hundred thousand other persons deemed ?non-desirable? by the Nazis, the loss of millions of lives in Russia and in China by communist tyrannies, and modern day horrors in Cambodia, Rwanda, and Darfur. All too often, we have not learned from past genocides. As the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states ?No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment? and that ?Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.?

Though nothing changes the fact that mass killings and unspeakable acts of brutality occurred, today I wish to learn from the past to better bring about hope for a brighter, more peaceful future and reconciliation of the people of Armenia and Turkey.

Only with a thorough examination of history and open acknowledgment of the past will the plight of the Armenians be fully understood.

As we continue confronting atrocities taking place today, and seek to prevent them from occurring in the future, we must also be resolute in acknowledging genocides of the past.

03-14-12 - Khayal Sharif-zadeh from Azerbaijan America Alliance Corporation contacted Kristine Michalson from Representative Lamborn's office on behalf of the government of Azerbaijan regarding Introduction to the Alliance