Expresses the sense of the Senate: (1) in remembrance of the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on April 24, 2014; and (2) that the President should ensure that U.S. foreign policy reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the U.S. record relating to the Armenian Genocide.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 410 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 410
Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 3, 2014
Mr. Menendez (for himself and Mr. Kirk) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide.
Whereas the Armenian Genocide was conceived and carried out by the Ottoman
Empire from 1915 to 1923, resulting in the deportation of nearly
2,000,000 Armenians, of whom 1,500,000 men, women, and children were
killed and 500,000 survivors were expelled from their homes, and the
elimination of the over 2,500-year presence of Armenians in their
historic homeland;
Whereas, on May 24, 1915, the Allied Powers of England, France, and Russia
jointly issued a statement explicitly charging for the first time ever
another government of committing crimes ``against humanity and
civilization'';
Whereas Raphael Lemkin, who coined the term ``genocide'', and whose draft
resolution for a genocide convention treaty became the framework for the
United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime
of Genocide, recognized the Armenian Genocide as the type of crime the
United Nations should prevent and punish through the setting of
international standards;
Whereas Senate Concurrent Resolution 12, 64th Congress, agreed to February 9,
1916, resolved that ``the President of the United States be respectfully
asked to designate a day on which the citizens of this country may give
expression to their sympathy by contributing funds now being raised for
the relief of the Armenians'', who at the time were enduring
``starvation, disease, and untold suffering'';
Whereas Senate Resolution 359, 66th Congress, agreed to May 11, 1920, stated
that ``the testimony adduced at the hearings conducted by the
subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations have clearly
established the truth of the reported massacres and other atrocities
from which the Armenian people have suffered'';
Whereas House Joint Resolution 148, 94th Congress, agreed to April 8, 1975,
resolved, ``That April 24, 1975, is hereby designated as `National Day
of Remembrance of Man's Inhumanity to Man', and the President of the
United States is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation
calling upon the people of the United States to observe such day as a
day of remembrance for all the victims of genocide, especially those of
Armenian ancestry . . .'';
Whereas House Joint Resolution 247, 98th Congress, agreed to September 10, 1984,
resolved, ``That April 24, 1985, is hereby designated as `National Day
of Remembrance of Man's Inhumanity to Man', and the President of the
United States is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation
calling upon the people of the United States to observe such day as a
day of remembrance for all the victims of genocide, especially the one
and one-half million people of Armenian ancestry . . .'';
Whereas the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, an independent Federal
agency, unanimously resolved on April 30, 1981, that the United States
Holocaust Memorial Museum would document the Armenian Genocide in the
Museum, and has done so through a public examination of the historic
record, including lectures and the maintenance of books, records, and
photographs about the Genocide;
Whereas the Government of the Republic of Turkey has continued its international
campaign of Armenian Genocide denial, maintained a blockade of Armenia,
and continues to pressure the small but growing Turkish civil society
movement for acknowledging the Armenian Genocide;
Whereas, in April 2011, the month of remembrance of the Armenian Genocide, the
Government of the Republic of Turkey demolished a 100-foot-high statue
in the city of Kars which was erected to promote reconciliation with
Armenia;
Whereas the denial of the Armenian Genocide by the Government of the Republic of
Turkey has prevented the meaningful advancement of a constructive
political, economic, and security relationship between Armenia and
Turkey; and
Whereas the teaching, recognition, and commemoration of acts of genocide and
other crimes against humanity is essential to preventing the re-
occurrence of similar atrocities: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate--
(1) to remember and observe the anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide on April 24, 2014;
(2) that the President should work toward an equitable,
constructive, stable, and durable Armenian-Turkish relationship
that includes the full acknowledgment by the Government of the
Republic of Turkey of the facts about the Armenian Genocide;
and
(3) that the President should ensure that the foreign
policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding
and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights,
crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and genocide
documented in the United States record relating to the Armenian
Genocide.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2165)
Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Menendez with amendments and with an amended preamble. Without written report.
Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Menendez with amendments and with an amended preamble. Without written report.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 364.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line