Undecided 2010: House Res 252 vote will define Radanovich’s Legacy
Tomorrow, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs will hold a mark-up hearing on House Resolution 252, the Affirmation of the United States Record on the Armenian Genocide Resolution, a bill that has been a staple in Valley Congressman George Radanovich’s (CA-19) legislative agenda.
Since his election in 1994, Radanovich has proposed what is now HR 252 annually. Since the Democrats took control of Congress, his Democratic couterpart Rep. Adam Schiff (CA-29) has proposed the bill, and has co-sponsored it.
The issue: the recognition of genocide of the 1915 mass-killings committed by the Ottoman Turks against peaceful Armenians. From the Clinton to Obama administrations, Turkey has been able to leverage enough power to kill all prior bills about this issue because it provides an air force base for the American operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Of the 15 years of representing the Central Valley, a major Armenian region, the passage of HR 252 is a cornerstone in the legacy of George Radanovich’s Congressional career.
On top of the tension between Turkey, Armenia and the US, 60 Minutes ran a feature story on the Armenian Genocide and Turkey’s denial of the event:
The committee mark-up hearing will be broadcast live at 6:45 PT on Horizon Armenian TV (link below).
