WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Edward Markey (D-MA), yesterday, in remarks to his House colleagues, called for the adoption of the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.106, noting that “it is long past time” for the adoption of this human rights legislation, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“We appreciate Congressman Markey’s leadership in speaking out in favor of the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and look forward – both in his home district and in Washington, DC – to supporting his efforts to see this legislation brought to a vote at the first opportunity,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

Commenting on the growing support for the Resolution, Markey noted that, “This year, the resolution has already received 226 cosponsorships, a majority of the Members of the House. This impressive number reflects the broad bipartisan support for an official recognition of the Armenian Genocide.” He added that, “this resolution is not just intended as a remembrance of a dark past, but as a way of animating future policies with a commitment to prevent such things from ever happening again, as well as a step towards building a better future for the Armenian people and for all people.”

Introduced on January 30th by lead author Rep. Adam Schiff and spearheaded by Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA), Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), the Armenian Genocide resolution calls upon the President to ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the United States record relating to the Armenian Genocide. A similar resolution in the Senate (S.Res.106), introduced by Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) currently has 31 cosponsors, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (D-NY).

The ANCA website – www.anca.org – provides an opportunity for activists to send a free ANCA WebFax urging their legislators to make public statements in support of the Armenian Genocide Resolution.

The full text of the Markey statement is provided below.

Mr. MARKEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of passage of H. Res. 106, the Affirmation of the United States Record on the Armenian Genocide Resolution.

It is long past time for the United States to officially recognize the massacre of one and a half million Armenians early in the 20th century for what it undeniably was: genocide.

Year, after year, after year, I’ve been proud to cosponsor the Armenian Genocide resolution. Last year, over 150 House members cosponsored this important legislation to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide. This year, the resolution has already received 226 cosponsorships, a majority of the Members of the House. This impressive number reflects the broad bipartisan support for an official recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

Countries all around the world have adopted similar resolutions to ensure that the atrocities committed against the Armenian people are properly recognized as acts of Genocide. Canada, France, Switzerland, Greece, and Poland all have passed resolutions affirming the recognition of the Genocide. Properly recognizing the Armenian Genocide here in America is essential to ensure that all past genocides are never forgotten and all future atrocities are never permitted.

The writer Milan Kundera once wrote that “The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting.”

There are those that would deny the Armenian Genocide, just as there are those that deny the reality of the Nazi Holocaust. In commemorating the Armenian Genocide as we will do with this Resolution, we collectively engage in that struggle of memory against forgetting. The dangers of forgetting are real — as Adolph Hitler plotted the Holocaust, he was emboldened by the failure of the international community to note the first genocide of the 20th century, writing in 1939 “Who still talks nowadays of the extermination of the Armenians?” But this resolution is not just intended as a remembrance of a dark past, but as a way of animating future policies with a commitment to prevent such things from ever happening again, as well as a step towards building a better future for the Armenian people and for all people.

I commend Representative Schiff for introducing this critical resolution, and again commit myself to work for its timely adoption.

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