WATERTOWN, MA — 101 Members of Congress have joined co-hosts Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and George Allen (R-VA) and Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and the Armenian National Committee of America to cosponsor the 8th Annual Capitol Hill Observance of the Armenian Genocide. The Observance will consist of a program and reception that will take place on Wednesday, April 17, in the Gold Room (Rm. 2168) of the Rayburn House Office Building, from 6 to 8 pm.

The Capitol Hill Observance of the Armenian Genocide offers Members of Congress the opportunity to commemorate the Armenian Genocide with constituents and other members of the Armenian American community. Attending this year’s Observance will be survivors of the Armenian Genocide, leaders of human rights organizations, the diplomatic community, members of the clergy, and Armenian Americans from all over the country.

Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Primate of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of North America, will offer the opening prayer, and Bishop Manuel Batakian, Apostolic Exarchate for Armenian Catholics of Eastern USA & Canada, will offer a closing prayer.

The Armenian American community is cordially invited to join Members of Congress in marking the 87th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide at this unique event.

Complementing this year’s Capitol Hill Observance will be a weeklong running of “I Witness,” a photo exhibit by photographers Ara Oshagan and Levon Parian of “The Genocide Project.” The exhibit of portraits of survivors of the Armenian Genocide will run from April 15 to April 19 at the Russell Senate Office Building Rotunda and is free and open to the public.

For further information, individuals may contact the Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region (80 Bigelow Ave., Watertown, MA 02472; 617-923-1918/Fax 617-926-5525; email: ancaer@anca.org) or the Armenian National Committee of America Western Region (104 N. Belmont, Suite 208, Glendale, CA 91204, 818-500-1918/Fax 818-246-7353; email: ancawr@anca.org).

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

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Complete List of Cosponsors for 8th Annual Capitol Hill Observance (listed alphabetical by state)

Senators
Jack Reed (D-RI)**
George Allen (R-VA)**
Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA)
John F. Kerry (D-MA)
Paul S. Sarbanes (D-MD)
Carl Levin (D-MI)
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
John Ensign (R-NV)
Charles E. Schumer (D-NY)
Lincoln D. Chafee (R-RI)
Russell D. Feingold (D-WI)

Representatives
Jim McGovern (D-MA 3)**
Joseph Knollenberg (R-MI 11)**
Ed Pastor (D-AZ 2)
George Miller (D-CA 7)
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA 8)
Barbara Lee (D-CA 9)
Ellen O. Tauscher (D-CA 10)
Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA 14)
Michael M. Honda (D-CA 15)
Zoe Lofgren (D-CA 16)
Gary Condit (D-CA 18)
George Radanovich (R-CA 19)
Brad Sherman (D-CA 24)
Howard L. Berman (D-CA 26)
Adam Schiff (D-CA 27)
Henry A. Waxman (D-CA 29)
Xavier Becerra (D-CA 30)
Hilda Solis (D-CA 31)
Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA 33)
Grace Flores Napolitano (D-CA 34)
Maxine Waters (D-CA 35)
Steve Horn (R-CA 38)
Ed Royce (R-CA 39)
Gary Miller (R-CA 41)
Loretta Sanchez (D-CA 46)
Susan A. Davis (D-CA 49)
Bob Filner (D-CA 50)
Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA 51)
John B. Larson (D-CT 1)
Christopher Shays (R-CT 4)
Nancy L. Johnson (R-CT 6)
Michael Bilirakis (R-FL 9)
John Lewis (D-GA 5)
Greg Ganske (R-IA 4)
William O. Lipinski (D-IL 3)
Rod R. Blagojevich (D-IL 5)
Mark Steven Kirk (R-IL 10)
Jerry Costello (D-IL 12)
John M. Shimkus (R-IL 20)
Mark Souder (R-IN 4)
John W. Olver (D-MA 1)
Barney Frank (D-MA 4)
John F. Tierney (D-MA 6)
Edward J. Markey (D-MA 7)
Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. (R-MD 2)
Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD 3)
Constance A. Morella (R-MD 8)
James Barcia (D-MI 5)
David Bonior (D-MI 10)
Lynn Rivers (D-MI 13)
John Conyers Jr. (D-MI 14)
Sue Myrick (R-NC 9)
John E. Sununu (R-NH 1)
Rob Andrews (D-NJ 1)
Jim Saxton (R-NJ 3)
Marge Roukema (R-NJ 5)
Frank Pallone (D-NJ 6)
Mike Ferguson (R-NJ 7)
William J. Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ 8)
Steven R. Rothman (D-NJ 9)
Donald M. Payne (D-NJ 10)
Rush Holt (D-NJ 12)
Robert Menendez (D-NJ 13)
Joseph Crowley (D-NY 7)
Jerrold Nadler (D-NY 8)
Edolphus Towns (D-NY 10)
Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY 14)
Nita M. Lowey (D-NY 18)
Sue Kelly (R-NY 19)
Benjamin A. Gilman (R-NY 20)
Michael R. McNulty (D-NY 21)
John E. Sweeney (R-NY 22)
Shelley Berkley (D-NV 1)
Tony P. Hall (D-OH 3)
Steve LaTourette (R-OH 19)
Joseph Hoeffel (D-PA 13)
Patrick Kennedy (D-RI 1)
Jim Langevin (D-RI 2)
Joe Wilson (R-SC 2)
Ciro D. Rodriguez (D-TX 28)
Eric I. Cantor (R-VA 7)
James P. Moran (D-VA 8)
Jim McDermott (D-WA 7)
Paul Ryan (R-WI 1)
Tammy Baldwin (D-WI 2)
Jerry Kleczka (D-WI 4)