[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 9691-9694]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          NINETY-SECOND COMMEMORATION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Ellison). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues on the 
Republican side for agreeing to let me reclaim the time. I will try to 
limit my time to less than 5 minutes.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to commemorate the 92nd anniversary 
of the Armenian genocide. As the first genocide of the 20th century, it 
is morally imperative that we remember this atrocity and collectively 
demand reaffirmation of this crime against humanity.
  On April 24, 1915, 92 years ago tomorrow, that day marked the 
beginning of the systematic and deliberate campaign of genocide 
perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire. Over the following 8 years, 1\1/2\ 
million Armenians were tortured and murdered, and more than one-half 
million were forced from their homeland into exile. These facts are 
indisputable, but to this day the U.S. Congress has never properly 
recognized the Armenian genocide.
  The historical record, Mr. Speaker, on the Armenian genocide is 
unambiguous and well-documented with overwhelming evidence. The U.S. 
Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire at the time, Henry Morgenthau, 
protested the slaughter of the Armenians to the Ottoman leaders. In a 
cable to the U.S. State Department on July 16, 1915, Ambassador 
Morgenthau stated that, ``A campaign of race extermination is in 
progress.''
  Mr. Speaker, if America is going to live up to the standards we set 
for ourselves, and continue to lead the world in affirming human rights 
everywhere, we need to finally stand up and recognize the tragic events 
that began in 1915 for what they were: the systematic elimination of a 
people.
  Despite pleas by Members of Congress and the Armenian-American 
community and recognition by much of the international community, 
President Bush continues to avoid any clear references to the Armenian 
genocide, while consistently opposing legislation marking this crime 
against humanity. Instead, he has chosen to succumb to shameless 
threats by the Government of Turkey. I strongly believe that Turkey's 
policy of denying the Armenian genocide gives warrant to those who 
perpetrate genocide everywhere, because denial is the last stage of 
genocide. If the cycle is to end, there must be accountability. And 
just as we would not permit denying the Holocaust, we cannot accept 
Turkey's falsification of the facts of 1915.
  Mr. Speaker, I must say that in the last few months the Turkish 
Government has made every effort to try to prevent the Armenian 
genocide resolution from coming to the floor of the House of 
Representatives. But I just want to show why denial is such a bad thing 
in a sense. Last week, I came to the floor and I pointed out that when 
the U.N. wanted to do a project or an exhibit at the United Nations 
headquarters talking about the genocide in Rwanda, because the Turkish 
Government protested the inclusion of the Armenian genocide, the 
Rwandan genocide never took place. There again, if you deny one 
genocide, you end up denying or impacting the other.
  And the fact of the matter is that when some of my colleagues say to 
me, ``Well, why do you need to bring up something that occurred 92 
years ago,'' I say, ``Because by denying this, the Turkish Government 
continues to perpetrate genocide or oppression of its minorities.
  Just a few weeks ago, there was something in the New York Times about 
how the Turkish Government continues to persecute the Kurdish minority. 
Many Kurds have been killed, driven from their homelands in the same 
way Armenians were. The Kurds happen to be a Muslim people, not a 
Christian people. That doesn't matter. The Turkish Government 
consistently oppresses minorities. They refuse also to open their 
borders with Armenia. They have actually had a blockade of Armenia in 
placed for several years, which contributes to the economic instability 
of Armenia.
  So this is something that must be done. It must be accomplished, that 
we recognize this genocide if it continues in various ways in Turkey 
today.
  The second thing I would point out is that the Turkish Government has 
been basically hiring lobbyists for millions of dollars to go around 
and tell Members of Congress that if they pass the genocide resolution, 
there will be dire consequences: Turkey will not allow supplies to go 
to U.S. troops in Iraq.

                              {time}  2220

  They have actually taken to having Members of Congress called and 
told that their own soldiers in Iraq might be threatened if they pass 
the genocide resolution.
  Well, again, this is the type of bullying that we, as a free 
government, should not allow because bullying is essentially the same 
thing that takes place when genocide takes place. Why should we give in 
to the threats of a country that tries to bully our country over such 
an important issue as the genocide?
  Now, let me just mention, Mr. Speaker, to wrap up, that tomorrow 
evening at 6:30 the Armenian Caucus, which I cochair, will host an 
Armenian genocide commemoration event with the Armenian embassy, and I 
hope that many of the Members will attend this.
  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, as a proud member of the 
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, and the representative of a 
large and vibrant community of Armenian Americans, I rise to join my 
colleagues in the sad commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.
  Today we declare to people living in every corner of our globe that 
the Turkish and American governments must finally acknowledge what we 
have long understood: that the unimaginable horror committed on Turkish 
soil in the aftermath of World War I was, and is, an act of genocide. 
The tragic events that began on April 24, 1915, which are well known to 
all of us, should be part of the history curriculum in every Turkish 
and American school. On that dark April day, more than 200 of Armenia's 
religious, political and intellectual leaders were arrested in 
Constantinople and killed. Ultimately, more than 1.5 million Armenians 
were systematically murdered at the hands of the Young Turks, and more 
than 500,000 more were exiled from their native land.
  On this 92nd anniversary of the beginning of the genocide, I join 
with the chorus of voices that grows louder with each passing year. We 
simply will not allow ice planned elimination of an entire people to 
remain in the shadows of history. The Armenian Genocide must be 
acknowledged, studied, and never, ever allowed to happen again.
  Last year I joined with my colleagues in the Caucus in urging PBS not 
to give a platform to the deniers of the genocide by canceling a 
planned broadcast of a panel which included two scholars who deny the 
Armenian Genocide. This panel was to follow the airing of a documentary 
about the Armenian Genocide. Representative Anthony Weiner and I led a 
successful effort to convince Channel Thirteen in New York City to pull 
the plug on these genocide deniers. The parliaments of Canada, France, 
and Switzerland have all passed resolutions affirming that the Armenian 
people were indeed subjected to genocide. The United States must do the 
same. I will not stop fighting until long overdue legislation 
acknowledging the Armenian Genocide finally passes. I am hopeful that 
this resolution will make it to the Floor for a vote before the full 
House of Representatives this Congress.
  An acknowledgment of the genocide is not our only objective. I remain 
committed to ensuring that the U.S. government continues to provide 
direct financial assistance to Armenia. Over the years, this aid has 
played a critical role in the economic and political advancement of the 
Armenian people. I have joined with my colleagues in requesting 
military parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the FY08 Foreign 
Operations Appropriations bill.
  We also have requested an adequate level of economic assistance for 
Armenia and assistance to Nagorno-Karabakh. Legislation passed in the 
109th Congress and signed into law to reauthorize the Export-Import 
Bank included important language prohibiting the

[[Page 9692]]

Bank from funding railroad projects in the South Caucasus region that 
deliberately exclude Armenia. American tax dollars should not be used 
to support efforts to isolate Armenia, and these provisions would 
prevent that by ensuring that U.S. funds are not used to support the 
construction of a new railway that bypasses Armenia. A railway already 
exists that connects the nations of Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan, 
but because it crosses Armenia, an expensive and unnecessary new 
railway had been proposed. Allowing the exclusion of Armenia from 
important transportation routes would stymie the emergence of this 
region as an important East-West trade corridor. It is in our economic 
and security interests to ensure that the aggression against Armenia 
comes to an end.
  On this solemn day, our message is clear: the world remembers the 
Armenian genocide, and the governments of Turkey and the United States 
must declare--once and for all--that they do, too.
  Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I join today with many of my colleagues in 
remembering the victims of the Armenian Genocide. Today, April 24th, is 
the 92nd anniversary of this human tragedy.
  From 1915 to 1923, the world witnessed the first genocide of the 20th 
century. This was clearly one of the world's greatest tragedies--the 
deliberate and systematic Ottoman annihilation of 1.5 million Armenian 
men, women, and children.
  Furthermore, another 500,000 refugees fled and escaped to various 
points around the world--effectively eliminating the Armenian 
population of the Ottoman Empire.
  From these ashes arose hope and promise in 1991--and I was blessed to 
see it. I was one of the four international observers from the United 
States Congress to monitor Armenia's independence referendum. I went to 
the communities in the northern part of Armenia, and I watched in awe 
as 95 percent of the people over the age of 18 went out and voted.
  The Armenian people had been denied freedom for so many years and, 
clearly, they were very excited about this new opportunity. Almost no 
one stayed home. They were all out in the streets going to the polling 
places. I watched in amazement as people stood in line for hours to get 
into these small polling places and vote.
  Then, after they voted, the other interesting thing was that they did 
not go home. They had brought covered dishes with them, and all of 
these polling places had little banquets afterward to celebrate what 
had just happened.
  What a great thrill it was to join them the next day in the streets 
of Yerevan when they were celebrating their great victory. Ninety-eight 
percent of the people who voted cast their ballots in favor of 
independence. It was a wonderful experience to be there with them when 
they danced and sang and shouted, `Ketse azat ankakh Hayastan'--long 
live free and independent Armenia! That should be the cry of freedom-
loving people everywhere.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, today, April 24th, marks the 92nd 
anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian Genocide. I rise today to 
commemorate this terrible chapter in human history, and to help ensure 
that it will never be forgotten.
  On April 24, 1915, the Turkish government began to arrest Armenian 
community and political leaders. Many were executed without ever being 
charged with crimes. Then the government deported most Armenians from 
Turkish Armenia, ordering that they resettle in what is now Syria. Many 
deportees never reached that destination.
  From 1915 to 1918, more than a million Armenians died of starvation 
or disease on long marches, or were massacred outright by Turkish 
forces. From 1918 to 1923, Armenians continued to suffer at the hands 
of the Turkish military, which eventually removed all remaining 
Armenians from Turkey.
  We mark this anniversary of the start of the Armenian Genocide 
because this tragedy for the Armenian people was a tragedy for all 
humanity. It is our duty to remember, to speak out and to teach future 
generations about the horrors of genocide and the oppression and 
terrible suffering endured by the Armenian people.
  We hope the day will soon come when it is not just the survivors who 
honor the dead but also when those whose ancestors perpetrated the 
horrors acknowledge their terrible responsibility and commemorate as 
well the memory of genocide's victims.
  Sadly, we cannot say humanity has progressed to the point where 
genocide has become unthinkable. We have only to recall the ``killing 
fields'' of Cambodia, mass killings in Rwanda, ``ethnic cleansing'' in 
Bosnia and Kosovo, and the unspeakable horrors in Darfur, Sudan to see 
that the threat of genocide persists. We must renew our commitment 
never to remain indifferent in the face of such assaults on innocent 
human beings.
  We also remember this day because it is a time for us to celebrate 
the contribution of the Armenian community in America--including 
hundreds of thousands in California--to the richness of our character 
and culture. The strength they have displayed in overcoming tragedy to 
flourish in this country is an example for all of us. Their success is 
moving testimony to the truth that tyranny and evil cannot extinguish 
the vitality of the human spirit.
  The United States has an ongoing opportunity to contribute to a true 
memorial to the past by strengthening Armenia's emerging democracy. We 
must do all we can through aid and trade to support Armenia's efforts 
to construct an open political and economic system.
  Adolf Hitler, the architect of the Nazi Holocaust, once remarked 
``Who remembers the Armenians?'' The answer is, we do. And we will 
continue to remember the victims of the 1915-23 genocide because, in 
the words of the philosopher George Santayana, ``Those who cannot 
remember the past are condemned to repeat it.''
  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, each year on April 24, Armenian communities 
around the world gather in somber commemoration of the genocide that 
began in 1915. Sadly, after 92 years, their grief is only compounded by 
those who aggressively deny or raise doubt about this troubling chapter 
of history.
  This should be a day reserved for honoring the memory of those who 
were killed and paying tribute to the strength of those who survived. 
It should be a time to reflect on the personal narratives of those who 
were exiled, the historical evidence of villages and communities that 
were destroyed, and diplomatic cables from U.S. officials that 
described the atrocities. It should be an opportunity to resolve 
ourselves to fight crimes against humanity in all forms and all places. 
Instead, year after year, April 24 unleashes a battle of semantics.
  Those who acknowledge what happened in Armenia as a ``tragedy,'' a 
``catastrophe,'' or a ``massacre'' are correct. But nothing other than 
the term ``genocide'' can wholly characterize the systematic 
deportation of nearly 2 million Armenians and the deliberate 
annihilation of 1.5 million men, women and children. Anything short of 
that is unfair to those who perished and unhelpful to our plight 
against future acts of genocide.
  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the victims 
of the Armenian Genocide.
  Today marks the anniversary of the deliberate campaign of genocide 
perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire in 1915. On April 24th, the Ottoman 
government arrested an estimated 250 Armenian religious, political, and 
intellectual leaders, which were taken to the interior of Turkey and 
murdered. From 1915-1923, 1.5 million Armenians were killed and more 
than 500,000 were forced from their homeland into exile.
  In spite of overwhelming evidence, particularly American diplomatic 
records from the time, some continue to deny the occurrence of this 
brutal tragedy in human history. As a member of Congress, I represent a 
significant population of Armenian survivors who have proudly preserved 
their culture, traditions, and religion and have told the horrors of 
the genocide to an often indifferent world.
  We must continue to ensure future generations know and understand the 
history of the Armenian Genocide in order to learn from the mistakes of 
the past and prevent future atrocities. For that reason, I have again 
cosponsored a resolution, H. Res. 106, that calls upon the president to 
make recognition of the Armenian Genocide an official position of 
United States foreign policy.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time to fully recognize the Armenian Genocide in 
order to right the historical record. By doing so we pay tribute to the 
memory of all the individuals who suffered, their family members that 
remain, and vow to never forget their sacrifices.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to commemorate the 
anniversary of the first genocide of the 20th century. More than 90 
years ago, the Ottoman Empire organized a campaign to exterminate 1.5 
million Armenians. The world watched as this horror unfolded before 
them, and did nothing.
  As the first genocide of the 21st century--this time in Darfur--began 
to take shape, the world again hesitated, this time to debate for 
months the definition of genocide, as thousands died and thousands more 
were displaced. Today, 200,000 people have been killed in Darfur and 
2.5 million driven from their homes. And so, I rise Mr. Speaker not 
only to acknowledge and remember the horrific events that befell the 
Armenian people at the dawn of the last century, but also to highlight 
the horrific events occurring one hundred years later in Darfur at the 
dawn of this century.

[[Page 9693]]

  For the past few years, as the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide 
approached, I hoped that year would be the year a solution to the 
crisis would come. But, this year, instead of speaking of how the 
lessons of the Armenian Genocide helped unite the world around a 
solution for Darfur, I can only report of ongoing suffering and 
continued killings.
  As the world pauses today to remember those who suffered and died 
during the Armenian Genocide, we need to ask ourselves if we have 
really absorbed the lessons of that tragedy--and, if we are really 
doing all that can be done to bring this century's genocide to an end.
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in commemoration of the 92nd 
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. On April 24, 1915, the Ottoman 
government ordered the deportation of 2.5 million Armenians. Over the 
next year, 1.5 million Armenians had been killed or sent to the horrors 
of concentration camps.
  April 24 lives in the hearts and minds of an Armenians. And while 
this day of remembrance is somber, the day also brings a sense of 
encouragement that stems from the success of Armenian-American 
communities here at home in the United States, as well as the 
independent nation of Armenia. This nation's independence has become a 
living testament of honor to the memories of the survivors and their 
descendents.
  I have always supported the Armenian community. In 2003, I had the 
opportunity to visit Armenia and to plant a tree at the Genocide 
memorial. We must never forget the horrors that took place 92 years 
ago. Let us never forget the 1.5 minion Armenians who perished in 1915 
and 1916. We know such mass murder is not a tragedy from a distant 
past, but a continuation of the failing to recognize these barbaric 
acts before they are executed.
  Mr. Speaker, again, I wish to commemorate the 92nd anniversary of the 
Armenian Genocide, and I urge the leadership to bring H. Res. 106 to 
the floor for a vote. If we are to change the future, we must recognize 
the past.
  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, today is a day of remembrance and 
commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, one of the darkest chapters of 
World War I, and the first of the series of genocides we saw in the 
20th Century. We set today aside to remember, as we do every year, 
because it is essential to reflect upon these terrible events, but we 
also do so because we know that the Armenian people must continually 
confront and surmount the legacies and the consequences of those dark 
days.
  The writer Milan Kundera once wrote that ``The struggle of man 
against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting.'' There are 
those that would deny the Armenian Genocide, just as there are those 
that deny the reality of the Nazi Holocaust. In commemorating the 
Armenian Genocide we collectively engage in that struggle of memory 
against forgetting. We do this not only to remember the past, but to 
reaffirm our commitment to prevent such things from ever happening 
again, and to strive towards making a better future for the Armenian 
people.
  It has taken Armenia decades to reach a point where its people could 
enjoy their rights as a free people. Today, we have an opportunity and 
a responsibility to help ensure that the Armenian people can build a 
better future. And so, I look forward to continuing to work with the 
Armenian-American community and Members of the Congressional Caucus on 
Armenia to address the issues facing this longtime friend and important 
ally of the United States, so that together we build something 
positive, something hopeful, something good for the futute--a peaceful, 
prosperous and secure Armenia.
  The Armenian Genocide is sometimes called the ``Forgotten Genocide.'' 
In fact, as most of you know, back in 1939, prior to the invasion of 
Poland, Adolph Hitler argued that his plans for a Jewish holocaust 
would in the end be tolerated by the West, stating: ``After all, who 
remembers the Armenians.'' But we do remember, and we shall never 
forget. And our memory and commemoration is stronger than the hate of 
those who would perpetrate the greatest crime known to humanity, the 
attempt to exterminate an entire people.
  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 92nd 
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Our voices, as well as those of 
Armenian-Americans across the Nation, are essential in the effort to 
bring needed attention to such a historic tragedy. The Armenian-
American community has made tremendous contributions to our country, 
and their efforts and passion will help ensure that those who lost 
their lives will not be forgotten.
  Today, we pay tribute to the memory of those who died, reflect on all 
those who have suffered from such prejudice, and vow to raise awareness 
so that such an atrocity never occurs again. As a member of the 
Armenian Caucus and a cosponsor of the genocide resolution, I will keep 
fighting to ensure that the Armenian Genocide is appropriately 
recognized.
  It is a shame that we have not learned from our mistakes in the past 
regarding genocide, but it is not too late to heal these wounds and 
also help end atrocities occurring as we speak. To that end, we must 
not stand by as the situation deteriorates in Darfur. It is our duty to 
end this human suffering, and I will continue to work to stop this 
conflict and promote peace in Sudan. Together, let us make this world a 
better place.
  As an ardent supporter of Rhode Island's Armenian-American community 
throughout my public service career, I am proud to join my colleagues 
today in honoring the victims of the genocide by paying tribute to 
their memory, showing compassion for those who have suffered from such 
prejudice, and never forgetting the pain that they have endured.
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, tonight I rise to remind the world that the 
24th of April marks the 92nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, a 
systematic and deliberate campaign of the Ottoman Empire to exterminate 
an entire people. I also rise to reaffirm my support for the adoption 
of the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H. Res. 106. This legislation 
contains a long list of U.S. and international involvement against the 
Armenian Genocide of 1915.
  Raphael Lemkin, who coined the term `genocide' in 1944, and who was 
the earliest proponent of the United Nations Convention on the 
Prevention and Punishment of Genocide, invoked the Armenian case as a 
definitive example of genocide in the 20th century. The time is now for 
the Administration to describe what occurred as a genocide. There is no 
option for continued denial.
  Atrocities which fell upon a nation almost a century ago are still 
crying out for commemoration. Armenia's people did not get sufficient 
recognition of their devastation and our government has yet to take an 
appropriate position in this matter. Considering how well documented 
the Armenian genocide is in U.S. archives and through an overwhelming 
body of firsthand, governmental, and diplomatic evidence, this is 
nothing less than a disgrace.
  Previous Congresses undertook many efforts to pass legislation 
recognizing the Armenian Genocide. Unfortunately, all those attempts 
failed. Now, however, the movement to recognize the genocide has 
generated enough momentum that passage of this resolution is finally 
possible. Congressman Pallone, Chair of the Congressional Caucus on 
Armenian Issues, has been a stalwart champion of this legislation.
  The grassroots campaign ``End the Cycle of Genocide'' focuses on the 
lessons we can learn from this tragic chapter in history. We understand 
the horror of past genocides and recognize that mass exterminations 
underway today need to be stopped. We cannot remain silent as we 
observe from a distance how perpetrators execute their power over 
minorities. Now more than ever, as the world is gripped by unrest and 
terrorism, the memory of the Armenian Genocide underscores our 
responsibility to help convey our cherished traditions of respect for 
fundamental human rights and opposition to mass slaughter.
  For these reasons, I support H. Res. 106 and call upon the President 
to ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects an 
appropriate level of understanding and sensitivity concerning issues 
related to the Armenian Genocide.
  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, today we solemnly commemorate the 92nd 
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide where, over the course of eight 
years, from 1915 to 1923, the Ottoman Empire launched a systematic 
campaign to exterminate its Armenian community. During that time, more 
than 1.5 million Armenians suffered through mass killings, 
deportations, forced slavery and torture.
  Once the genocide ended, many survivors rose above their anguish and 
terrible experiences to rebuild their lives. Armenian communities began 
to flourish as numerous immigrants found a new home here in the United 
States, as well as in my home state of California. Even though their 
communities discovered solace and success in America, the scars of 
genocide remain deeply embedded in their history and in our conscience.
  If we are to pro actively engage the international community, we must 
realize the significance of commemorating the Armenian Genocide. 
Equipped with information and education, we can ensure that the legacy 
of the genocide endures and that atrocities such as those that befell 
the Armenian people never happen again.
  Together we can educate, commemorate, remember, and stand united in 
promoting a

[[Page 9694]]

clear message that the United States does not condone, nor does it 
tolerate acts of genocide.
  Today we mourn the victims, pay tribute to the survivors, and stand 
together with all who are committed to promoting awareness about the 
atrocities of genocide. Today we remember to never forget.

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