[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5550]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      COMMEMORATING THE 87TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 87th 
anniversary of the Armenian genocide and to commend my colleagues, the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Michigan 
(Mr. Knollenberg), for organizing this Special Order and to remember 
this solemn occasion.
  Over an 8-year period, beginning in 1915, the Ottoman Turkish Empire 
systematically tortured and murdered 1.5 million Armenians and exiled 
another half million more. In the years since, Armenian descendents 
have thrived in the United States and in many other countries, bringing 
extraordinary vitality and achievement to communities across this 
Nation and throughout the world.
  Tragically, the Turkish Government has refused to acknowledge the 
Armenian genocide and has made repeated attempts to exonerate itself of 
any wrongdoing through a shameful propaganda campaign. The victims of 
the genocide deserve our remembrance and their rightful place in 
history. It is in the best interests of our Nation and the entire 
global community to remember the past and learn from these unfortunate 
events to ensure that they are never repeated.
  Earlier this year, the European Union adopted a resolution affirming 
the Armenian genocide, making it one of the many official bodies, 
including the Governments of Canada, Argentina, France, Italy, Sweden 
and Belgium, to do so. Now more than ever, the genocide underscores our 
responsibility to help convey our cherished tradition of respect for 
fundamental human rights and opposition to such heinous atrocities. 
Only through such recognition can the Armenian people hope to feel some 
measure of compensation for the ultimate injustice perpetrated against 
their Nation.
  As a proud member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues and 
an ardent supporter of Rhode Island's Armenian American community, I 
will continue to encourage my colleagues to hold the Turkish Government 
accountable for its actions and to honor the memory of those Armenians 
who suffered and perished nearly a century ago.

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