WASHINGTON — On March 23, US Representatives Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Dave Trott (R-Mich.) introduced legislation to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide of 1915. The Resolution recognizes the genocide against the Armenian people from 1915-1923 by the Ottoman Empire, while drawing links to the modern scourge of genocide, including attacks on religious minorities in Iraq and Syria by ISIS.
“Over 100 years ago, the Ottoman Empire undertook a brutal campaign of murder, rape, and displacement against the Armenian people that took the lives of 1.5 million men, women, and children in the first genocide of the 20th century,” said Schiff. “Genocide is not a historic relic – even today hundreds of thousands of religious minorities face existential threat from ISIS in Syria and Iraq. It is therefore all the more pressing that the Congress recognize the historical fact of the Armenian Genocide and stand against modern day genocide and crimes against humanity.”
“After over a hundred years, it is long overdue that the United States government stand in solidarity with the Armenian people to officially recognize the genocide waged against their families a century ago,” said Trott. “I am honored to be able to represent such a vibrant Armenian population in Southeast Michigan and I will continue to fight for them in Congress.”
Schiff and Trott were also joined by the other leaders of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, Representatives Valadao, Bilirakis, Pallone, and Speier in underscoring their support for the recognition of the Armenian genocide.
