October 11, 2007

House Foreign Affairs Committee
27-21 Passes Controversial Armenian Resolution
Undermining Fairness and Justice

ATAA President Nurten Ural, President Elect Gunay Evinch, Secretary General Oya Bain, and Fevziye Manizade, where among 35 Turkish Americans who traveled from as far away as New York to show their opposition to H.Res. 106 at the House Foreign Affairs Committee.  (Photo from the New York Times, 10/10/07)

Washington, DC, October 11, 2007 - The House Foreign Affairs Committee voted 27-21 to pass H. Res. 106  (Affirmation of the United States Record on the Armenian Genocide), which characterizes the deaths of Armenians in 1915 as genocide.  The overwhelming number of “yes” votes came from states that have substantial Armenian populations, votes and campaign contributions.  Indeed, ten of the “yes” votes came from California, alone.

Turkish Caucus co-chair Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL), Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), and House Republican Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) lead the opposition.  Voting against the measure Gresham Barrett (R-SC), Roy Blunt (R-MO), John Boozman (R-AR), Dan Burton (R-IN), Russ Carnahan (D-MO), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), Luis Fortuno (R-PR), Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX), Bob Inglis (R-SC), Connie Mack (R-FL), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Brad Miller (D-NC), Mike Pence (R-IN), Ted Poe (R-TX), Illeana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), David Scott (D-GA), Adam Smith (D-WA), Thomas Tancredo (R-CO), John Tanner (D-TN), and Robert Wexler (D-FL).  Representatives Ron Paul (R-TX) and Joe Wilson (R-SC) did not vote.

Senior member of the Black Caucus, Gregory Meeks, and Representative from Puerto Rico Luis Fortuno opposed the measure, underscoring the strong friendship the ATAA and ATADC are forging with both the Black American and Hispanic communities of Washington, DC.  Congressman Meeks highlighted the double standards Congress applies in examining possible wrongs, and lip service the African American community has received on the slavery.  “America has not even apologized for slavery – a simple apology!”

Voting in support of the measure were Representatives Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Howard Berman (D-CA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Steve Chabot (R-OH), Jim Costa (D-CA), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), William Delahunt (D-MA), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Eni F. H. Faleomavaega (D-SM*), Elton Gallegly (R-CA), Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), Gene Green (D-TX), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Ron Klein (D-FL), Tom Lantos (D-CA), Donald Manzullo (R-IL), Michael McCaul (R-TX), Donald Payne (D-NJ), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Edward Royce (R-CA), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Albio Sires (D-NJ), Christopher Smith (R-NJ), Diane Watson (D-CA), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), and David Wu (D-OR),

President-Elect Gunay Evinch, who has been tracking Armenian resolutions since 1988 in Washington, DC, pointed out that the close 27-21 vote was a vast improvement from prior committee votes, such as in 2000 when H.Res. 596 passed committee with a 40-7 vote.  Since January 2007, the new ATAA Public Outreach program has established productive communications with dozens of scholars, think tank experts, journalists and legislators. Evinch stated, “More and more people are realizing the complexity of the genocide allegation, the problems of legislating history and a criminal indictment, and thereby harming U.S.-Turkish relations.

President Nurten Ural thanked dozens of members of ATAA, FTAA, TCA, ATC, TUSIAD, ATADC, and ATFA who had visited over 150 Congressional offices in the past two weeks and provided a broader and deeper understanding of the Armenian allegation of genocide as well as the impact of H.Res. 106 on reconciliation between Armenians and Turks and on U.S.-Turkish relations.