[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 47 (Wednesday, April 26, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H1842]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              91ST COMMEMORATION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Foxx). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I rise this evening to commemorate the 
91st anniversary of the Armenian genocide. As the first genocide of the 
20th century, it is morally imperative that we remember this atrocity 
and collectively demand reaffirmation of this crime against humanity.
  April 24th marked the beginning of the systematic and deliberate 
campaign of genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire in 1915. Over 
the following 8 years, 1.5 million Armenians were tortured and 
murdered, and more than half a million were forced from their homeland 
into exile.
  Last week I was joined by my cochair of the Armenia Caucus and many 
of my colleagues in Congress on a bipartisan basis in sending yet 
another bipartisan congressional letter to President Bush urging him to 
use the word ``genocide'' in his April 24th commemorative statement. 
With over 178 signatures, the message in that letter is loud and clear: 
90 years is too long to wait for justice to be served and proper 
recognition to be made.
  The President should have used the 91st anniversary of the Armenian 
genocide to promote the U.S. foreign policy that reflects appropriate 
understanding and sensitivity to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and 
genocide. But, instead, President Bush once again failed to honor his 
pledge to properly characterize the Armenian genocide in his annual 
remarks. Despite pleas by Members of Congress and the Armenian American 
community, and recognition by much of the international community, he 
continues to avoid any clear reference to the Armenian genocide while 
consistently opposing legislation marking this crime against humanity.
  The Bush administration continues to be influenced by the Government 
of Turkey by placing parts of our foreign policy in their hands. When 
it comes to facing the judgment of history about the Armenian genocide, 
Turkey, rather than acknowledging truth, has instead chosen to trample 
on the rights of its citizens to maintain its lies. The U.S. cannot 
continue to submit to Turkey's shameless threats and intimidation.
  Madam Speaker, the U.S. owes it to the Armenian American community, 
to the 1.5 million that were massacred in the genocide, and to its own 
history to reaffirm what is fact. As we have seen time and time again, 
the United States has a proud history of action and response to the 
Armenian genocide. During a time when hundreds of thousands were left 
orphaned and starving, a time when a nation was on the verge of 
complete extermination, the U.S. took the lead and proudly helped end 
these atrocities. In fact, Americans helped launch an unprecedented 
U.S. diplomatic, political, and humanitarian campaign to end the 
carnage and protect the survivors.
  If America is going to live up to the standards we set for ourselves 
and continue to lead the world in affirming human rights everywhere, we 
need to stand up and recognize the tragic events that began in 1915 for 
what they were: The systematic elimination of a people. The fact of the 
Armenian genocide is not in dispute.
  Madam Speaker, regardless of President Bush's inaction, I call on 
Speaker Hastert to bring the resolution to officially recognize the 
Armenian genocide to the House floor. The resolution that passed in 
committee last September, again on a bipartisan basis by an 
overwhelming majority, has over 148 cosponsors. Now is the time to 
allow Members to reaffirm the United States' record on the Armenian 
genocide.
  The U.S. Government needs to stop playing politics with this tragic 
time in history and take a firm stance for the truth. Genocide must not 
be tolerated.

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