WASHINGTON, DC – On Wednesday, October 3, ANCA Eastern Region Executive Director Michelle Hagopian communicated the concerns and support of Eastern Region ANC chapters to legislators on Capitol Hill. She was in Washington, D.C. all week for ANCA business and meetings with local community members.

“Spending the day on the Hill was a great way to communicate issues important to Armenian Americans in the Eastern Region to their legislators. Without these basic connections, it would be difficult to put faces to names and push forward the Hai Tahd agenda,” Hagopian said. “The Eastern Region office will schedule many constituent meetings with legislators in their respective districts following the November congressional elections.”

ANCA Legislative Affairs Director Raffi Karakashian accompanied Hagopian on the Hill.

The pair visited the offices of seven Congressional offices in a day-long session on the Hill, which included five Eastern Region states: Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island.

Offices visited include: Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA), Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY-18), Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ-13), Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ-5), Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA-3), Rep. Robert Dold (R-IL-10), and Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI-1).

Hagopian and Karakashian conveyed the importance of certain issues, such as Nagorno-Karabagh recognition and Azeri aggression, to legislators and followed up on action items offices have taken in the past. They also thanked those members who have cosponsored genocide or return of churches resolutions.

Photo caption: ANCA Eastern Region Executive Director Michelle Hagopian with Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA).