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Miami Herald, FL
Oct 20 2007
U.S. genocide resolution losing support
Support is declining in the House for a resolution declaring that the
deaths of 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923 was genocide
perpetrated by Turkey.
By MICHAEL DOYLE
WASHINGTON -- An Armenian genocide resolution has fallen into
political limbo, with lawmakers continuing to abandon support but no
final decision made about its future.
By Friday, the number of co-sponsors for the resolution had slipped
to 211 from 226. The precipitous decline leaves supporters holding a
bad hand as they decide what to do next.
''I think they did miscalculate,'' said Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., a
resolution opponent.
Hoping to shore up congressional support, the Armenian Assembly of
America and the Armenian National Committee of America will be flying
in supporters to Capitol Hill on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The activists will be ''meeting with as many members and staff as
possible,'' said the Armenian Assembly's executive director, Bryan
Ardouny.
''We're as hopeful as we can be,'' Spencer Pederson, a spokesman for
Rep. George Radanovich, R-Calif., said Friday.
So far, though, supporters of the genocide resolution lack the votes
to win in the House of Representatives. Unless they can get them, the
measure won't be brought up. This means resolution supporters
eventually may have to choose between letting the issue linger
without resolution or publicly acknowledging that they've lost for
the time being.
''Maybe it's not going to happen right now,'' Pederson said. ``Maybe
now isn't the right time.''
The resolution declares that 1.5 million Armenians were killed in the
Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923. The resolution further states
that ``the failure of the domestic and international authorities to
punish those responsible for the Armenian Genocide is a reason why
similar genocides have recurred and may recur in the future.''
The House Foreign Affairs Committee on Oct. 10 approved the
resolution 27-21, with several members having reversed their previous
support.
Turkish leaders acknowledge many deaths but say there was no
genocide, which international law defines as the intention to destroy
a national, ethnic or religious group.
Turkey's lobbyists, as well as top Bush administration officials,
warn that the resolution could undermine Turkey's cooperation with
the U.S. occupation of Iraq.
Two more House members, Reps. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., and John
''Randy'' Kuhl, R-N.Y. , dropped their support of the resolution on
Thursday.
Fourteen lawmakers have withdrawn their co-sponsorship since Monday.
The House didn't meet on Friday, so there was no opportunity for
other members to formally withdraw.
With 432 House members at present, a bill requires 217 votes to pass
by simple majority. Bills often get far more votes on the floor than
they have formal co-sponsors, so the co-sponsorship list doesn't
perfectly predict a vote's outcome. On the other hand, close Capitol
Hill observers say they can't recall the last time so many lawmakers
had withdrawn their co-sponsorship of a bill.
''The millions that Turkey has spent have paid dividends,''
acknowledged Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.
Turkey reports spending about $300,000 a month on lobbying. The
lobbyists include a former Republican chairman of the House
Appropriations Committee, Robert Livingston, as well as a former
House Democratic leader, Richard Gephardt.
Genocide resolution supporters consistently blame Turkey's lobbying
campaign for the falloff in congressional support.
But a number of lawmakers who reversed their positions say they never
heard from the Turkish lobbyists, or were heeding other concerns.
Rep. Wally Herger, R-Calif., for instance, credited his change of
heart to his own reflections and following the controversy through
media reports.
Another lawmaker, Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Fla., said he changed his mind
about the resolution after Gen. David Petraeus, the armed forces
commander in Iraq, cautioned that it might threaten U.S. efforts in
Iraq.
''We have the truth on our side,'' Schiff said, ``but the truth
doesn't always win.''
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/sto ry/278108.html
Oct 20 2007
U.S. genocide resolution losing support
Support is declining in the House for a resolution declaring that the
deaths of 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923 was genocide
perpetrated by Turkey.
By MICHAEL DOYLE
WASHINGTON -- An Armenian genocide resolution has fallen into
political limbo, with lawmakers continuing to abandon support but no
final decision made about its future.
By Friday, the number of co-sponsors for the resolution had slipped
to 211 from 226. The precipitous decline leaves supporters holding a
bad hand as they decide what to do next.
''I think they did miscalculate,'' said Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., a
resolution opponent.
Hoping to shore up congressional support, the Armenian Assembly of
America and the Armenian National Committee of America will be flying
in supporters to Capitol Hill on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The activists will be ''meeting with as many members and staff as
possible,'' said the Armenian Assembly's executive director, Bryan
Ardouny.
''We're as hopeful as we can be,'' Spencer Pederson, a spokesman for
Rep. George Radanovich, R-Calif., said Friday.
So far, though, supporters of the genocide resolution lack the votes
to win in the House of Representatives. Unless they can get them, the
measure won't be brought up. This means resolution supporters
eventually may have to choose between letting the issue linger
without resolution or publicly acknowledging that they've lost for
the time being.
''Maybe it's not going to happen right now,'' Pederson said. ``Maybe
now isn't the right time.''
The resolution declares that 1.5 million Armenians were killed in the
Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923. The resolution further states
that ``the failure of the domestic and international authorities to
punish those responsible for the Armenian Genocide is a reason why
similar genocides have recurred and may recur in the future.''
The House Foreign Affairs Committee on Oct. 10 approved the
resolution 27-21, with several members having reversed their previous
support.
Turkish leaders acknowledge many deaths but say there was no
genocide, which international law defines as the intention to destroy
a national, ethnic or religious group.
Turkey's lobbyists, as well as top Bush administration officials,
warn that the resolution could undermine Turkey's cooperation with
the U.S. occupation of Iraq.
Two more House members, Reps. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., and John
''Randy'' Kuhl, R-N.Y. , dropped their support of the resolution on
Thursday.
Fourteen lawmakers have withdrawn their co-sponsorship since Monday.
The House didn't meet on Friday, so there was no opportunity for
other members to formally withdraw.
With 432 House members at present, a bill requires 217 votes to pass
by simple majority. Bills often get far more votes on the floor than
they have formal co-sponsors, so the co-sponsorship list doesn't
perfectly predict a vote's outcome. On the other hand, close Capitol
Hill observers say they can't recall the last time so many lawmakers
had withdrawn their co-sponsorship of a bill.
''The millions that Turkey has spent have paid dividends,''
acknowledged Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.
Turkey reports spending about $300,000 a month on lobbying. The
lobbyists include a former Republican chairman of the House
Appropriations Committee, Robert Livingston, as well as a former
House Democratic leader, Richard Gephardt.
Genocide resolution supporters consistently blame Turkey's lobbying
campaign for the falloff in congressional support.
But a number of lawmakers who reversed their positions say they never
heard from the Turkish lobbyists, or were heeding other concerns.
Rep. Wally Herger, R-Calif., for instance, credited his change of
heart to his own reflections and following the controversy through
media reports.
Another lawmaker, Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Fla., said he changed his mind
about the resolution after Gen. David Petraeus, the armed forces
commander in Iraq, cautioned that it might threaten U.S. efforts in
Iraq.
''We have the truth on our side,'' Schiff said, ``but the truth
doesn't always win.''
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/sto ry/278108.html