[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 78 (Wednesday, May 20, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H3394-H3396]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
California (Mr. Schiff) for 5 minutes.
Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, on April 24, the 100th anniversary of the
Armenian genocide, runners and cyclists set out from Los Angeles on the
Race for Recognition. I had the great pleasure of riding the first 28
miles of their journey with them. On May 7, they completed their 3,000-
mile ride across the United States.
They undertook their ride to raise awareness of the Armenian genocide
and genocides all around the world and to commemorate and remember the
victims. It is my honor to read a portion of the petition that they
carried with them across the Nation and to enter the entirety into the
Congressional Record.
It provides:
On this 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, LA2DC
organizing committee members wish to recognize and honor the
contributions of the following people and organization:
The American people, for setting the standard in the world
for philanthropy, social activism, human rights and
prevention of crimes against humanity--in their first
nationwide relief campaign from 1915 to 1930, Americans
donated the equivalent of $2.7 billion to help save over 1
million Christian Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, and other
minorities during the first mass atrocity of the 20th
century, when these minorities were targeted for
extermination and deportation by the Ottoman Empire;
Ambassador Henry Morgenthau, who, as the United States
Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, alerted the United States
Government and the rest of the world to the ``destruction of
the Armenian race'';
The Near East Foundation, for providing relief to 1 million
refugees and 132,000 orphan survivors of the atrocities
perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire;
The American Red Cross, for providing relief to survivors
of genocides and mass atrocities for the past 100 years,
starting with its first international assistance program in
1915 that provided relief to survivors of the Armenian
genocide;
The Museum of Tolerance, for educating and enlightening
more than 250,000 visitors per year since 1993 and
challenging them to understand the Holocaust and genocides in
both historic and contemporary contexts;
Raphael Lemkin, for inventing the term ``genocide'' to
describe atrocities that target groups for annihilation, and
for working tirelessly to gain approval of the Convention on
the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide by the
United Nations in 1948;
USC's Shoah Foundation and its founder, Mr. Steven
Spielberg, for collecting nearly 52,000 eyewitness
testimonies of the Holocaust, the Armenian genocide, and
other genocide survivors;
Facing History and Ourselves, for educating over 10,000
teachers and, through them, hundreds of thousands of students
on the history of prejudice and racism and the role they play
in the events that lead to genocide;
The International Committee of the Red Cross and the United
Nations's Children's Fund, for starting a vast relief
operation in 1979 for the people of Cambodia, threatened by
famine and disease in the aftermath of
[[Page H3395]]
the Cambodian genocide, which claimed millions of lives;
United States Army Europe and United States Air Force
Europe, for delivering humanitarian aid in 1995 and 1996 to
the survivors of the Bosnian genocide, during which an
estimate 100,000 Bosniaks were systematically targeted and
killed;
Senator William Proxmire, for delivering a speech every day
the U.S. Senate was in session in support of the ratification
of Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime
of Genocide. After 20 years and 3,211 speeches, the United
States Senate ratified the convention on February 11, 1986;
President Ronald Reagan, for signing the Genocide
Convention Implementation Act of 1987 into law;
The International Rescue Committee, for providing relief to
Rwandan genocide survivors, when an estimated 800,000 mostly
Tutsi minorities were massacred;
Not On Our Watch and George Clooney, for using his public
profile to raise awareness of the genocide in Darfur, where
300,000 civilians were targeted and murdered and 2 million
displaced;
U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power, for her groundbreaking book
published in 2003, ``A Problem from Hell,'' which recounts
the history of genocide and offers a framework for
policymakers that can help detect and prevent genocides;
The Armenian National Committee of America, for advocating
for the recognition of the Armenian genocide and raising
awareness of genocides as crimes against humanity.
{time} 1015
Mr. Speaker, these riders carried this important message of truth and
gratitude with them across our great Nation. It is an honor to do my
small part to make sure they are heard.
Mr. Speaker, on April 24th, the 100th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide, runners and cyclists set out from Los Angeles on a ``Race for
Recognition.'' I had the great pleasure of riding the first 28 miles of
their journey with them. And on May 7th, they completed their 3,000
mile ride across the United States. They undertook their ride to raise
awareness of the Armenian Genocide, and Genocides around the world, and
to commemorate and remember the victims. It is my honor to read a
portion of the petition that they carried with them across the nation,
and to enter the entirety into the Congressional Record.
On this 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, LA2DC organizing
committee members wish to recognize and honor the contributions of the
following people and organizations:
In the past 100 years, over 100 millions lives have been lost in
genocides and mass atrocities;
During the same period, heroic American citizens, politicians,
diplomats, faith based organizations, and non-government organizations
have made it a part of their mission to raise awareness of genocides,
help prevent genocides, and provide relief to survivors of genocides;
Some of these citizens, relief organizations, diplomats, and
politicians put their lives and treasure at risk by working in conflict
zones to alert the world of impending genocides and genocides in
progress, rescue genocide survivors, and provide relief.
On this 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, and through this
petition, LA2DC organizing committee members wish to recognize and
honor the contributions of the following people and organizations for
their work in raising awareness of genocides, providing relief to
genocide survivors, and working to prevent genocides;
The American People--for setting the standard in the world for
philanthropy, social activism, human rights, justice, and prevention of
crimes against humanity. In their first act of large scale, nationwide,
organization and execution of a relief campaign, from 1915 to 1930,
Americans donated more than $117 million--the equivalent of $2.7
billion in 2015 dollars--to relief organizations that saved over 1
million Christian Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, and other minorities
during the first mass atrocity of the 20th century, when these
minorities were targeted for extermination and deportation by the
Ottoman Empire. Over the past 100 years, Americans continue to be in
the front lines of helping to prevent genocides, and providing relief
and hope to survivors of atrocities.
Ambassador Henry Morgenthau--who as United States Ambassador to the
Ottoman Empire, alerted the United States government of ``Destruction
of the Armenian Race . . .'' and called on Americans to get organized
to help the survivors.
The Near East Foundation (formerly known as Near East Relief or
NER)--for providing relief to 1 million refugees and 132,000 orphan
survivors of the atrocities perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire from
1915-1923. During this period, NER raised the equivalent of $2.7
billion in 2015 dollars, and mobilized over 1,000 volunteers to help
build 400 orphanages, food and clothing distribution centers, clinics
and hospitals, and vocational training schools for the survivors.
The American Red Cross--for providing relief to survivors of
genocides and mass atrocities for the past 100 years, starting with its
first international assistance program in 1915 that provided relief to
the survivors of the Armenian Genocide.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum--for leading national and
international efforts to promote human dignity, confront hatred, and
prevent the next genocide.
The Museum of Tolerance--for educating and enlightening more than
250,000 visitors per year since 1993, and challenging them to
understand the Holocaust and genocides in both historic and
contemporary contexts and confront all forms of prejudice and
discrimination in our world today.
Raphael Lemkin--for inventing the term ``genocide'' to describe the
atrocities that target groups for annihilation, and for working
tirelessly to gain approval of Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of the Crime of Genocide by United Nations in 1948.
University of Southern California's Shoah Foundation and its founder,
Mr. Steven Spielberg--for painstakingly collecting nearly 52,000
eyewitness testimonies of the Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide, and
other genocide survivors, and using their first hand accounts to teach
the world about the horrors of genocides and the importance of
preventing them.
Facing History and Ourselves--for educating over ten thousand
teachers in the United States and worldwide, and through them, hundreds
of thousands of students, on the history of prejudice and racism, and
the role they play in the events that lead to genocide. Since 1976,
Facing History has been engaged in genocide prevention work by
promoting global citizenship and heightened awareness of genocides.
The International Committee of The Red Cross and United Nations
Children's Fund for starting a vast relief operation in 1979 for the
people of Cambodia threatened by famine and disease in the aftermath of
the Cambodian Genocide, which claimed millions of lives.
United State Army Europe and United States Air Force Europe--for
delivering humanitarian aid in 1995 and 1996 to the survivors of the
Bosnian Genocide, during which an estimated 100,000 Bosniaks were
systematically targeted and killed.
Senator William Proxmire--for following through his commitment to
deliver a speech every day the United States Senate was in session in
support of the ratification of United Nations Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. After 20 years and
3,211 speeches, the United States Senate ratified the convention on
February 11, 1986.
President Ronald Reagan--for signing the Genocide Implementation Act
of 1987 into law, making genocide a Federal offense, and declaring,
``This legislation still represents a strong and clear statement by the
United States that it will punish acts of genocide with the force of
law and the righteousness of justice.''
The International Rescue Committee--for providing emergency supplies
and restoring infrastructure following the 1994 genocide in Rwanda,
where an estimated 800,000 mostly Tutsi minorities were massacred.
Not On Our Watch, and Messrs. George Clooney, Don Cheadle, Matt
Damon, Brad Pitt, David Pressman, and Jerry Weintraub for using their
public profiles to bring attention to atrocities around the world, and
raising awareness of the genocide in Darfur, where 300,000 civilians
were targeted and murdered, and 2 million displaced.
United States Institute of Peace Genocide Prevention Task Force, and
Co-Chairs Honorable Madeleine K. Albright and Honorable William S.
Cohen--for developing a genocide prevention blueprint entitled,
``Preventing Genocide: A Blueprint for U.S. Policymakers'', which
affirmed that genocides are preventable, and issued 34 specific
actionable recommendations that United States can implement to help
detect and prevent genocides.
Ambassador Samantha Power, the United States Ambassador to the United
Nations--for her groundbreaking research documented in her book
published in 2003, ``A Problem from Hell'', which recounts the history
of genocide and offers a framework for policy makers that can help
detect and prevent genocides.
Congressman Adam Schiff--for being the leading voice in the United
States Congress advocating for recognition of past genocides as an
important step towards detecting and preventing future genocides and
atrocities.
The Armenian National Committee of America--for advocating for the
recognition of the Armenian Genocides and raising awareness of
genocides as crimes against humanity.
Countless other Americans and organizations who have made it their
mission to help prevent the next genocide and promote peaceful
resolution of conflicts.
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