WASHINGTON—Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has informed the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) that he will once again support legislation calling for U.S. reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide.
“We want to offer our appreciation to Majority Leader Reid for joining with his colleagues in supporting this legislative effort to put America on the right side of the Armenian Genocide issue,” said Aram Hamparian, the executive director of the ANCA. “We look forward to working with Senator Reid and our other friends in the leadership of the Senate and the Foreign Relations Committee as the Armenian Genocide Resolution moves to a Committee vote and adoption by the full Senate.”
Spearheaded by Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and John Ensign (R-Nev.), the Armenian Genocide Resolution (S.Res.316) also enjoys the early support of Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).
Senator Reid’s co-sponsorship comes as Armenian Americans across the country continue to participate in the ANCA “Countdown to Erdogan” campaign—a four-week, grassroots campaign urging President Obama to speak truthfully about the Armenian Genocide when he meets on Dec. 7 with Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The first week of the campaign focused on Senate action, with thousands sending ANCA WebMails and participating in a national call-in day to Senate offices in support of S.Res.316.
On each day until Dec. 7, the ANCA is organizing a new action—ranging from online advocacy, call-in days, social networking, coalition-building, community outreach, and fieldwork. Information on the campaign is posted at http://www.anca.org/countdown.
Last month, Reid formally shared the reservations of the Silver State’s Armenian community regarding the dangers of the recently signed Turkey-Armenia protocols with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
In an Oct. 30 letter to ANCA-Nevada activist Razmig Libarian, the Senate leader reported that he had recently written to Secretary Clinton to pass along the concerns of his state’s citizens of Armenian heritage, and to encourage her to meet directly with the national leadership of the Armenian American community regarding the state of Turkey-Armenia relations.
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