03/05/14 - Statement submitted for the Congressional Record on Sumgait - Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the anniversary of the pogrom that took place in Sumgait , Azerbaijan against people of Armenian descent. A pogrom is a violent riot aimed at massacre or persecution of an ethnic or religious group. On the evening of February 27, 1988 hundreds of Armenians were massacred in the seaside town of Sumgait in Soviet Azerbaijan. This violence against Armenians continued for three days and resulted in the reported killing of 32 people, with countless others that remain unaccounted for.

It is my hope that by speaking out publicly against atrocities suffered by our brethren around the world, we will help reaffirm America's commitment to an enduring, peaceful and democratic resolution.

I ask that my colleagues join me in solemnly commemorating the death of these innocent lives. My thoughts are with the Armenian community, especially those that lost loved ones during the pogrom at Sumgait 26 years ago.

05/07/13 - Statement submitted for the Congressional Record - Mr. Speaker, 98 years ago, the world suffered its first deliberate act of systematic mass murder of people of one culture by another. With this, the unspeakable horror of genocide was born.

The massacre and mistreatment of one and-a-half million Armenians in the final years of the Ottoman Empire shows the incredible depths of inhumanity that the human race can sink.

Out of this wretched episode of history, we, as human beings, have made a determined effort to move beyond hatred and to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.

We are morally obligated to learn from the lapses of the human soul that caused the Armenian Genocide. We are morally obligated to make sure that we do all that we can to protect all oppressed, vulnerable, and subjugated peoples.

I want to express my sympathy to the survivors and descendants of the Armenian Genocide. I hope we can all take time to reflect on this solemn day of remembrance.

As we commemorate this somber anniversary, it's also important that we recognize the resiliency of the Armenian people. Armenia has been a great champion of freedom and democracy. I expect our two nations will continue to build strong commercial ties and support peace and stability in the region.

I am proud to consistently co-sponsor resolutions affirming the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide. Our policy should appropriately reflect understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to the Armenian Genocide. This should be documented in the United States record.