10/11 AAA: Armenian Assembly Praises Pelosi for Commitment to Schedule Vote

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY PRAISES PELOSI FOR COMMITMENT TO SCHEDULE VOTE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

RESPONDS TO RECALL OF TURKISH AMBASSADOR

Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly of America today issued the following statement after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) told reporters she will not back down to Turkish and White House pressure and intends to bring the Armenian Genocide resolution (H. Res. 106) to the floor for a vote by the full House.

The announcement from Pelosi today comes one day after the resolution was approved by a bi-partisan majority of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. A link to Pelosi’s press conference is attached below.

“We applaud Speaker Pelosi for standing firm on her commitment to history and truth,” said Armenian Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. “The opponents of this common-sense resolution – including the White House and the Turkish government and its army of lobbyists – have thrown every excuse at the resolution trying to create a political tsunami to prevent a vote. The entire Armenian-American community stands united with Speaker Pelosi and commends her for standing firm in the face of this alarmist drumbeat and outright blackmail by Turkey and its deniers. We know we have the support to pass it into law and I look forward to the full House going on record on this critical issue that has been neglected for far too long.”

Ardouny added that the Assembly, which has been working with Members of Congress since its inception in 1972, intends to continue working vigorously for passage of H. Res. 106. In the days and months leading up to yesterday’s successful committee vote on this issue, the Assembly organized its more than 10,000 members to call, write and email members of Congress and provide them with accurate information about this issue to counter the misleading statements from Turkey.

Regarding Turkey’s recall of their ambassador to the U.S. in response to the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s vote affirming the Armenian Genocide, Ardouny said, “The House demonstrated yesterday that they won’t let Turkey hold America hostage on this issue any longer. Members of Congress stood up against those pressure tactics by affirming the Armenian Genocide and we’re encouraged by the fact that Speaker Pelosi went on the record today in defense of the truth.”

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

Source: http://www.aaainc.org/index.php?id=7&no_cache=1&newsID=59