WASHINGTON, DC – The addition of two Senate Republicans – Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and Wayne Allard of Colorado – brings the total number of Senators supporting the Armenian Genocide Resoution, S.Res.320, to twenty-seven, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

Senator Santorum has been a consistent supporter of Armenian Genocide legislation throughout his tenure in the Senate and dating back to his years in the U.S. House of Representatives. Senator Allard, who has not traditionally supported Armenian Genocide resolutions, backed the measure after hearing from the increasingly vibrant Colorado Armenian community about the importance of the U.S. government demonstrating moral clarity on issues of genocide.

“We want to thank Senator Santorum for, once again, lending his support to Armenian Genocide legislation – and look forward to assisting his efforts, as Republican Conference Chairman – to see this measure brought to a vote of the full Senate at the first opportunity,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “We join, as well, with the Armenian community of Colorado in warmly welcoming Senator Allard’s principled support for this genocide recognition and prevention initiative.”

The Senate version of the Armenian Genocide Resolution was introduced late last year by John Ensign (R-NV) and Richard Durbin (D-IL). Similar to H.Res.316 in the U.S. House, the Senate 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.”

The Senate resolution has been referred to the Foreign Relations Committee for consideration. The House International Relations Committee overwhelmingly adopted its counterpart in September of last year.

The full list of all twenty-seven supporters of the Armenian Genocide Resolution are as follows: Wayne Allard (R-CO), George Allen (R-VA), Joe Biden (D-DE), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), Norm Coleman (R-MN), Susan Collins (R-ME), Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), Richard Durbin (D-IL), John Ensign (R-NV), Russell Feingold (D-WI), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), John Kerry (D-MA), Herb Kohl (D-WI), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Carl Levin (D-MI), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Harry Reid (D-NV), Ken Salazar (D-CO), Rick Santorum (R-PA), Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and John Sununu (R-NH).