[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 60 (Thursday, April 23, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2393-S2394]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the millions of 
Armenians who were deported during the Armenian genocide in 1915, and 
the 1.5 million men, women, and children who were killed. April 24, 
2015, marks the Centennial Remembrance Day of the Armenian genocide, 
and my thoughts go out to the descendants of the victims and all of the 
Armenian people as the world commemorates this tragedy.
  As we reflect upon this horrific period in history, we are reminded 
of the importance of promoting tolerance and standing firm against 
hatred and discrimination. That is why I have always recognized the 
terrible atrocities that took place in Armenia as genocide and why I 
consistently support resolutions in the Senate to remember the 
anniversaries of the Armenian genocide. I will continue to support 
these resolutions and speak about this issue so we never forget the 
families who were torn apart and destroyed due to brutal intolerance.
  Nevada is home to a vibrant community of thousands of Armenian 
Americans. Through churches and other organizations, Armenians in 
Nevada have demonstrated a commitment to working to improve their 
communities and serve others. For instance, the Armenian Relief 
Association in Las Vegas has dedicated years to serving the Las Vegas 
community and providing Saturday school for children to learn Armenian 
history. Kirk Kerkorian, an immensely successful Armenian American 
businessman and philanthropist, has shaped Nevada's booming tourism 
industry and created jobs with his investments on the Las Vegas Strip. 
Kirk has also generously donated to organizations across the Nation and 
in Armenia through his charitable foundation, the Lincy Foundation, to 
support important causes such as public education, health care, and 
infrastructure development. Another well-known Armenian American, the 
late Jerry Tarkanian, will long be remembered in Nevada not only for 
his success leading the University of Nevada, Las Vegas basketball 
team, but also for his dedication to teaching young college athletes to 
be better people and proudly represent their city.
  I am proud that, for years, Nevada has officially recognized the 
Armenian genocide, and that Nevada continues to find ways to honor this 
strong community and Armenian history. I am grateful for the efforts of 
the Armenian American Cultural Society of Las Vegas, which raised 
thousands of dollars for an Armenian Genocide Monument at Sunset Park 
in Las Vegas, Nevada. The monument will represent the 12 provinces 
where Armenians were slaughtered during the genocide, and will provide 
Nevadans with a place for reflection for years to come.
  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I wish to recognize the 100th anniversary 
of the Armenian genocide.
  Between 1915 and 1923, the Ottoman Empire carried out genocide 
against the Armenian people. Over the course of 8 years, more than 1.5 
million Armenians were marched to their deaths in the deserts of the 
Middle East, murdered in concentration camps, drowned at sea, and 
forced to endure unimaginable acts of brutality.
  Over the years, this deliberate massacre of the Armenians has been 
well-documented and confirmed by scholars and experts. And there are 
countless testimonies from victims who lived to tell of their harrowing 
experiences.
  In his memoirs, Henry Morgenthau, the American Ambassador to the 
Ottoman Empire between 1913 and 1916, wrote: ``When the Turkish 
authorities gave the orders for these deportations, they were merely 
giving the death warrant to a whole race; they understood this well, 
and in their conversations with me, they made no particular attempt to 
conceal the fact.''
  Despite an irrefutable body of evidence, the U.S. Government has 
refused to call the deliberate massacre of the Armenians by its 
rightful name. Mr. President, 100 years have passed since the beginning 
of the Armenian genocide. It is long past time for our government to 
finally acknowledge one of the greatest atrocities of the 20th century 
for what it was--genocide.
  This year, I am proud to be an original cosponsor of a Senate 
resolution calling on the President to ``ensure that the foreign policy 
of the United States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity 
concerning issues related to human rights, crimes against humanity, 
ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the United States record 
relating to the Armenian Genocide.''
  But each day that goes by without full acknowledgement by the United 
States prolongs the pain felt by the descendants of the victims of the 
Armenian genocide, as well as the entire Armenian community.
  By affirming the Armenian genocide, the United States would join 
countries across the globe--including Argentina, Canada, France, Italy, 
Poland, Russia, Switzerland, and Venezuela--as well as the Holy See and 
43 U.S. States in standing on the right side of history.
  For years, I have urged both Democratic and Republican 
administrations to finally acknowledge the truth of the Armenian 
genocide. Today, I reiterate my call and I hope that this year the 
United States will finally correct this century-old injustice.
  During a recent mass commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 
Armenian genocide, Pope Francis said:

       It is necessary, and indeed a duty, to honour their memory, 
     for whenever memory fades, it means that evil allows wounds 
     to fester. Concealing or denying evil is like allowing a 
     wound to keep bleeding without bandaging it!

  On this April 24, as we take time to remember and honor the victims 
of the Armenian genocide, I hope the United States will heed the 
eloquent words of Pope Francis by formally and unequivocally affirming 
the incontestable fact of the Armenian genocide.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, I wish to solemnly observe the 100th 
anniversary of the Armenian genocide.
  One hundred years ago, one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th 
Century began when the young Turk leaders of the Ottoman Empire 
executed more than 200 Armenian leaders and intellectuals. What 
followed was an 8-year systematic campaign of oppression, which by 
1923, left an estimated 1.5 million Armenians dead and over a half a 
million survivors exiled.
  These atrocities affected the lives of every Armenian living in Asia 
Minor and, indeed, across the globe, and many called for the United 
States to take action. The U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire during 
this dark time, Henry Morgenthau, Sr., unsuccessfully pleaded with 
President Wilson to take action, and later remembered the events of the 
genocide, saying:

       I am confident that the whole history of the human race 
     contains no such horrible episode as this. The great 
     massacres and persecutions of the past seem almost 
     insignificant when compared to the sufferings of the Armenian 
     race in 1915.

  Former President Theodore Roosevelt also called for an American 
response, saying, ``Until we put honor and duty first, and are willing 
to risk something in order to achieve righteousness both for ourselves 
and for others, we shall accomplish nothing; and we shall earn and 
deserve the contempt of the strong nations of mankind.''
  Unfortunately, the United States and the world did not intervene. It 
is a testament to the unbreakable spirit of the survivors of the 
Armenian genocide that they persevered and went on to enrich their 
countries of emigration, including the United States. That is why today 
we not only commemorate this grave tragedy, but we celebrate the 
traditions, the contributions, as well as the bright future of the 
Armenian people. Indeed, my home State of Rhode Island continues to be 
enriched by our strong and vibrant Armenian-American community.
  Denial of this history is inconsistent with our country's values and 
as we mark this centennial, I once again join with my colleagues on a 
resolution that encourages the United States to recognize the Armenian 
genocide. We must continue to guard against hatred and oppression so 
that we can prevent such crimes against humanity. I would

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note that, earlier this month, Pope Francis held a mass to recognize 
this centennial and described this mass atrocity against Armenians as 
the first genocide of the 20th century. On this, the 100th anniversary, 
the United States should similarly recognize this horrific tragedy as 
genocide, joining the ranks of the many countries that have already 
done so.
  I remain committed to supporting efforts, as ranking member on the 
Senate Armed Services Committee and as a member of the Senate 
Appropriations Committee, to provide assistance to Armenia to promote 
economic growth, strengthen security, and support democratic reforms 
and development.
  I am pleased that on May 7, at my invitation, His Holiness Aram I, 
Catholicos of the Worldwide Armenian Apostolic Church and the Great 
House of Cilicia, will serve as guest Chaplain before this body and 
continue this important message. We must find a way to come together to 
recognize what happened a century ago and show our unwavering support 
to those facing persecution today. I hope we can do that.
  Mr. ROUNDS. Mr. President, I rise today to commemorate and reflect on 
the centennial anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian genocide. 
With great sadness, we remember the beginning of the genocide of 1.5 
million Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks who died 100 years ago. On 
April 24, 1915, the campaign targeting the Armenian people began. They, 
along with Assyrians and Greeks, were viewed as threats to the Ottoman 
Empire and driven from their homeland. The persecuted minorities were 
uprooted from their way of life leaving behind generations of family 
history, property, and memories. The Armenians were then force-marched 
into the desert without proper rations and supplies, with most dying 
along this brutal passage. The remaining survivors were detained in 
concentration camps rampant with disease and hunger. These mass 
killings are historically documented and served as a tragic prelude to 
the Holocaust.
  This solemn anniversary offers us a chance to renew our commitment to 
the principle of ``never again,'' a vow that surfaced after the 
Holocaust. And so today I rise to proclaim never again can an ethnic 
group be targeted due to race, religion, or ethnicity.

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