Commemorating the Armenian Genocide

Floor Speech

Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the victims and survivors of one of the darkest chapters in human history, the Armenian Genocide. Today, April 24, marks the 97th commemoration of the first genocide of the 20th Century where Ottoman Turkish authorities ordered the systematic annihilation of more than 1.5 million Armenians. The Armenian Genocide was carried out from 1915 to 1923 through massacres, deportations, and death marches where hundreds of thousands were herded into the Syrian Desert to die of thirst and starvation. Sadly, to this day this chapter of history has yet to be admitted by the Government of Turkey.

Many international observers, including then Ambassador and later U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau, witnessed the nightmare firsthand and reported detailed accounts of the atrocities to their governments. Respected organizations and eminent scholars and historians agree and recognize the Armenian Genocide, including the Elie Wiesél Foundation for Humanity and the renowned International Association of Genocide Scholars. Their judgments are supported by 53 Nobel laureates who signed an open letter to the Government of Turkey on April 9, 2007. I ask unanimous consent to include in the RECORD a listing of those Nobel laureates.

Mr. Speaker, the historical record is clear and the Armenian Genocide is a tragic fact. It must be acknowledged and remembered so that it will never be repeated.

As a member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, I know that the refusal of modern-day Turkey to acknowledge one of the worst examples of man's inhumanity in the 20th Century haunts survivors of the Armenian Genocide, as well as their families. As a Member of Congress from California, which is home to more Armenian-Americans than any other state, I believe this is not only an affront to the memory of the victims and to their descendants, but it does a disservice to the United States as it seeks to stand up for the victims of violence today.

The issue of recognizing the Armenian genocide and helping the Armenian people is neither a partisan nor geopolitical issue. Rather, it is a question of giving the Armenian people the justice they deserve. In doing so, we affirm the dignity of humankind everywhere.

It has been said that ``all it takes for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing.'' This is one of the reasons I am proud to have joined with so many of my colleagues in cosponsoring the resolution affirming the occurrence of the Armenian genocide throughout my career in Congress. I will continue to do for as long as it takes.

In recognizing the Armenian Genocide we do not seek to persecute any person or state; we seek to build a path that will lead to reconciliation between Armenians and Turks. And in doing so, we will remain true to our nation's highest aspirations for justice and peace. It was President Lincoln who called upon the ``better angels of our nature'' when he said in his Second Inaugural Address that all Americans should ``do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.''

Mr. Speaker, the Armenian Genocide has been officially recognized by 42 states. These States have gone on public record rejecting any claim or assertion that denies the occurrence of one of history's worst crimes against humanity. I believe it is time for us to join these nations in that endeavor by passing H. Res. 304, the ``Affirmation of the United States Record on the Armenian Genocide Resolution.''

Mr. Speaker, I ask for a moment of silence in memory of the millions of silenced voices and interrupted lives of those Armenians who perished between 1915 and 1923 in the genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire.

LIST OF 53 NOBEL LAUREATES URGING THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Peter Agre, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (2003); Sidney Altman, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1989); Philip W. Anderson, Nobel Prize, Physics (1977); Kenneth J. Arrow, Nobel Prize, Economics (1972); Richard Axel, Nobel Prize, Medicine (2004); Baruj Benacerraf, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1980); Gunter Blobel, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1999); Georges Charpak, Nobel Prize, Physics (1992); Steven Chu, Nobel Prize, Physics (1997); J.M. Coetzee, Nobel Prize, Literature (2003); Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, Nobel Prize, Physics (1997); Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Nobel Prize, Peace (1976); Robert F. Curl, Jr., Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1996); Paul J. Crutzen, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1995).

Frederik W. de Klerk, Nobel Prize, Peace (1993); Johann Deisenhofer, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1998); John B. Fenn, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (2002); Val Fitch, Nobel Prize, Physics (1980); Jerome I. Friedman, Nobel Prize, Physics (1990); Donald A. Glaser, Nobel Prize, Physics (1960); Sheldon Glashow, Nobel Prize, Physics (1979); Roy J. Glauber, Nobel Prize, Physics (2005); Clive W.J. Granger, Nobel Prize, Economics (2003); Paul Greengard, Nobel Prize, Medicine (2000); David J. Gross, Nobel Prize, Physics (2004); Roger Guillemin, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1977); Dudley R. Herschbach, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1986).

Avram Hershko, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (2004); Roald Hoffman, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1981); Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize, Economics (2002); Eric R. Kandel, Nobel Prize, Medicine (2000); Aaron Klug, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1982); Edwin G. Krebs, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1992); Sir Harold W. Kroto, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1996); Finn E. Kydland, Nobel Prize, Economics (2004); Leon M. Lederman, Nobel Prize, Physics (1988); Anthony J. Leggett, Nobel Prize, Physics (2003); Rudolph A. Marcus, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1992); Daniel L. McFadden, Nobel Prize, Economics (2000); Craig C. Mello, Nobel Prize, Medicine (2006).

Robert C. Merton, Nobel Prize, Economics (1997); Marshall W. Nirenberg, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1968); Sir Paul Nurse, Nobel Prize, Medicine (2001); Douglas D. Osheroff, Nobel Prize, Physics (1996); Martin L. Perl, Nobel Prize, Physics (1995); John C. Polanyi, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1986); Stanley Prusiner, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1997); José Ramos-Horta, Nobel Prize, Peace (1996); Richard J. Roberts, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1993); Wole Soyinka, Nobel Prize, Literature (1986); Elie Wiesel, Nobel Prize, Peace (1986); Betty Williams, Nobel Prize, Peace (1976); Kurt Wu 4thrich, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (2002).

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