[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 69 (Monday, April 24, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2486-S2487]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               102ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

  Mr. REED. Mr. President, last Thursday I had the honor of joining my 
friends from the Armenian National Committee of Rhode Island in my 
hometown of Cranston, RI, to raise the flag of Armenia in remembrance 
of the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian genocide.
  Over a century ago, the Young Turk leaders of the Ottoman Empire 
summoned and executed over 200 Armenian community leaders and 
intellectuals, beginning an 8-year campaign of oppression and massacre.
  By 1923, an estimated 1 and a half million Armenians were killed, and 
over a half a million survivors were exiled. These atrocities affected 
the lives of every Armenian living in Asia Minor and, indeed, 
throughout the world.
  The survivors of the Armenian genocide, however, persevered due to 
their unbreakable spirit and steadfast resolve and went on to greatly 
contribute to the lands in which they found new homes and communities, 
including the United States.
  This genocide has been denied for far too long. That is why I have 
joined with several of my colleagues on resolutions over the years to 
encourage the U.S. to officially recognize the Armenian genocide.
  But as we remember our history, we must also look to the present and 
to our future.
  Recent efforts to bring Azerbaijan to the negotiating table have 
injected new momentum into the push for a lasting agreement in Nogorno 
Karabakh. It is critical that the United States, along with our 
regional partners, continue to press for a peaceful resolution to the 
conflict that respects the rights of all stakeholders and allows for a 
more stable and prosperous future for Armenia.
  As ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, I remain

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committed to supporting efforts to provide assistance to Armenia to 
strengthen security, promote economic growth, and support democratic 
reforms and development.
  We also must find a way to come together to recognize our past and to 
show our unwavering support to those facing persecution today.

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