[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 59 (Wednesday, April 22, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H4589-H4590]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

  (Mr. COSTA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 94th 
anniversary of the start of the Armenian genocide, which was the first 
genocide of the 20th century. Sadly, that template has been a cycle 
that continues to this day.
  In this case, it was established by history that from 1915 to 1923 
the Ottoman Empire systematically killed an estimated 1.5 million 
Armenians and drove hundreds of thousands of others into exile from 
their ancestral homeland.
  President Obama made promises during his campaign that he would 
finally recognize the Armenian genocide. It is vital to our Nation and 
to our foreign policy that we accurately reflect history. My district, 
in the San Joaquin Valley of California, is home to thousands of 
Armenian Americans, many of whom are the sons and daughters of 
survivors. We are quickly approaching the 100th anniversary of the 
start of the Armenian genocide. I am hopeful we don't have to wait 
until then to bring justice to my Armenian friends and neighbors.
  We know that genocide, sadly, continues to this day. The United 
States

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cannot continue a policy of denial regarding the Armenian genocide. I 
encourage the passage of House Resolution 252 to recognize the Armenian 
genocide in our Nation.

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