Carolyn B. Maloney: “I rise today to join my colleagues in the sad commemoration of the killing of 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and…”

“I rise today to join my colleagues in the sad commemoration of the killing of 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923. I am particularly mindful of this tragedy because many of the children and grandchildren of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide live in the Congressional district which it is my privilege to represent. As a supporter of human rights, I am appalled that the Turkish government has refused to acknowledge what happened and instead is attempting to rewrite history. In a sense, even more dismaying than Turkey's denial is the willingness of some officials in our own government to join in rewriting the history of the Armenian Genocide. It is imperative that we do not let political agendas get in the way of doing the right thing. Mr. Speaker, the issues surrounding the Armenian genocide should not go unresolved. I call upon the United States Government to demand complete accountability to the Turkish Government for the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923. To heal the wounds of the past, the Turkish government must first recognize the responsibility of its country's leaders at that time for this catastrophe.”