Over 100 Members of Congress Urge President Trump to Affirm the Armenian Genocide

Armenian Assembly of America Welcomes Members’ Initiative

Armenian Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny, Assembly Board Member and Armenian Honorary Consul Oscar Tatosian, Assembly Board Member Annie Totah, Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Rep. David Trott (R-MI), St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church Reverend Father Hovsep Karapetyan, Armenian Ambassador to the U.S. Grigor Hovhannissian, and Diocesan Legate of the Armenian Church of America Archbishop Vicken Aykazian at the 103rd Armenian Genocide Commemoration on Capitol Hill this week

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, a bipartisan letter signed by 102 Members was sent to President Donald Trump urging him to affirm the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly). Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chairs Representatives Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), David Trott (R-MI), Jackie Speier (D-CA), and David Valadao (R-CA), along with Vice-Chairs Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), spearheaded the letter asking the White House to honor the United States’ historic leadership in defending human rights and affirm the Armenian Genocide.

The letter to President Trump states: “In the spirit of honoring the victims and redoubling our commitment to prevent genocide, we ask you to appropriately mark April 24th as a day of American remembrance of the Armenian Genocide.”

The Members of Congress point out the remarkable record in American history in helping save the survivors of this crime, and how U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire Henry Morgenthau helped to chronicle the Genocide in 1915. The letter also references the United States’ historical account on affirming the Armenian Genocide. “In leading an honest and accurate American remembrance of this known case of genocide, you will stand with President Reagan, who recognized the Armenian Genocide in 1981, and the Eisenhower Administration, which did the same in a 1951 submission to the International Court of Justice. The House of Representatives has also commemorated the Armenian Genocide, through H.J.Res.148 in 1975 and H.J.Res.247 in 1984.”

This past Wednesday, Members of the Armenian Caucus hosted an Armenian Genocide Commemoration on the 103rd anniversary of the 1915 Genocide in Ottoman Turkey. Click here to see photos.

“On behalf of the Armenian Assembly, I want to thank the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues for their continued commitment to unequivocally affirm the Armenian Genocide,” Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny said.

Earlier this month, the Armenian National Institute (ANI) launched a new 24-panel digital exhibit displaying the role of the YMCA and American relief work during the first republic of Armenia (1918-1920). The exhibit focuses on John Elder and James O. Arroll who arrived in Yerevan, Armenia in January 1918 to open a YMCA center.

“At the height of the conflict in the Caucasus when other relief workers chose to evacuate, John Elder refused to leave fearing that tens of thousands more Armenians would die of starvation if the relief programs were discontinued. He is credited in providing relief for 15,000 Armenian orphans. Such selfless heroism must be recognized,” ANI Director Dr. Rouben Adalian stated.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

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