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ANC of Oregon Leads Meetings with Members of Congress

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  • ANC of Oregon Leads Meetings with Members of Congress

    Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region
    104 North Belmont, Suite 200
    Glendale, California 91206
    Telephone: (818) 500-1918
    Facsimile: (818) 246-7353
    [email protected] www.ANCA.org <http://www.anca.org/>

    Press Release: Wednesday, August 30, 2006



    Contact: Lerna Kayserian

    Tel: (818) 500-1918



    ANC of Oregon Leads Meetings with Members of Congress



    PORTLAND, OR --- Armenian Americans from the greater Portland area joined
    the Armenian National Committee of Oregon for meetings with the offices of
    US Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) as well as US Representatives Darlene Hooley
    (D-Salem) and Earl Blumenauer (D-Portland). ANC of Oregon Chairman Rafael
    Saakyan was joined by Kevork Parseghian, Parish Council Chairman of the
    Armenian Apostolic Church of Portland. They were also joined by Armen
    Megerdom for the meeting with Congressman Blumenauer. ANCA-WR Community
    Relations Director, Haig Hovsepian accompanied the group.



    The day's meetings commenced with a visit to Representative Darlene Hooley's
    West Linn district office. Mr. Parseghian discussed the history and current
    activities of the Armenian American community in the Portland area with the
    Congresswoman's District Aide, Jennifer Wagner. They also spoke with her
    about the current Armenian Genocide resolutions in Congress as well as H.R.
    3361, which prevents the United States from financing an Azeri-proposed
    railway construction project that bypasses Armenia and stymies regional
    cooperation. Ms. Wagner thanked them for the information and said she would
    present the legislation to the Congresswoman. Mr. Saakyan encouraged
    Representative Hooley to co-sponsor the legislation.



    Mr. Parseghian invited the Congresswoman and her staff to attend upcoming
    Armenian community events. "I appreciate Ms. Wagner's enthusiasm to be
    included in our community activities to learn more about our culture," he
    noted.



    The group then traveled to Senator Ron Wyden's office in downtown Portland.
    There they met with community liaison Loretta Smith. They noted that the
    Senator had co-sponsored Armenian Genocide resolutions in the previous two
    Congresses and asked that the Senator do so once again by co-sponsoring
    S.Res.320 on the Armenian Genocide.



    Mr. Saakyan also reviewed the community's concerns regarding the firing of
    Ambassador John Marshall Evans and the Ambassador-designate, Richard
    Hoagland. The group requested that Senator Wyden also convey the concerns
    of his constituents to his colleagues in the Senate. Ms. Smith agreed and
    encouraged the group to have the community continue to write to the Senator
    on the matter.



    The final meeting of the day was just across town with Representative
    Blumenauer. The Congressman was joined by Judah Ariel, a Legislative Aide
    from his Washington D.C. office. The Congressman and Mr. Ariel both
    commented favorably about former ANCA Capitol Gateway Program participant,
    Andrew Gregorian, who worked in the Congressman's D.C. office in the past
    year.



    During the meeting, the Congressman agreed to review H.R. 3361 and consider
    co-sponsoring the legislation. He thanked the community for bringing it to
    his attention. Prompted by the discussion of the deleterious effects of the
    ongoing Turkish and Azeri blockade of Armenia and H.R. 3361, Mr. Saakyan
    also updated the Congressman regarding Armenia's economy.



    "Meeting our representatives was extremely important for the Armenian
    Community of Oregon and the Oregon ANC," commented Mr. Saakyan. "We look
    forward to following up with them and continuing our efforts to bring
    together our community and our congressional delegation."



    Editor's Note: Photo Attached. Photo 1: Oregonian Armenians meet Congressman
    Blumenauer at his Portland district office. {left to right} Armen Megerdom,
    Treasurer of the Armenian Community of Oregon, Kevork Parseghian, Chairman,
    Armenian Apostolic Church of Portland Parish Council, Congressman Earl
    Blumenauer, Rafael Saakyan, and Haig Hovsepian.
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