U.S. House Unanimously Condemns Genocide of Middle East Christians and Minorities

Pressure Builds on White House to Properly Characterize ISIL / Da'esh Killings Following Adoption of the Fortenberry-Eshoo Measure (H.Con.Res.75)

March 15, 2016

WASHINGTON, DC – With a vote of 393 to 0, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously condemned as genocide the ongoing ISIL/Da’esh crimes against Christians – including Armenians and Assyrians – as well as Yezidis and other religious minorities in the Middle East by adopting H.Con.Res.75, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“Armenian Americans welcome today’s U.S. House vote as powerful encouragement for U.S. leadership in ending genocidal attacks – many being committed by allies of Ankara’s – across the Middle East, and, more broadly, as a meaningful step toward elevating America’s response to genocide from a political choice to a moral imperative,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “For far too long, U.S. leaders have treated the recognition of genocide – very notably the Armenian Genocide – as a geopolitical commodity to be bartered or bargained away. We can, as Armenian Americans, be proud of our efforts to support H.Con.Res.75 and advance the core principal behind this legislation that America’s stand against genocide must be unconditional.”

H.Con.Res.75 was spearheaded by the Co-Chairs of the House Caucus for Religious Minorities in the Middle East, Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA) – both of whom offered powerful remarks following passage of the measure. Rep. Eshoo made specific reference to her Armenian and Assyrian ancestry, noting the importance of House reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide. The ANCA will be offering complete video coverage of her remarks.

House passage of the measure is timed just days before a March 17th deadline, when the Obama Administration will be offering its official determination on the matter. The Administration has been under increasing pressure from U.S. religious leaders, human rights and civic groups — led by In Defense of Christians (IDC), the Knights of Columbus, the International Religious Freedom Roundtable and supported by the Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the ANCA and over 100 organizations — to properly characterize the attacks Christians in Syria and Iraq ‘genocide.’

Last week the Knights of Columbus and In Defense of Christians issued a detailed 300-page report detailing the genocide against Christians in the Middle East.

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