A New Armenian American Heading to Congress.... Jackie Kanchelian Speier

Items from the ANCA Weekly Update 12 March 2008:

California's 12th district Congressional hopeful Jackie Speier addressed anti-genocide activists from across the U.S. at the second annual ANCA and Genocide Intervention Network "End the Cycle of Genocide" Capitol Hill Advocacy Days. For more information, visit: www.jackieforcongress.com

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1) Knollenberg & Schiff Press Sec. Rice on White House Proposal to Break Armenia-Azerbaijan Military Aid Parity
2) Armenian Caucus Rallies Support for Armenian Aid Priorities
3) Anti-Genocide Activists Take to Capitol Hill
4) BlogWatch: CampusCause.com highlights UCLA anti-genocide denial panel

1) Knollenberg & Schiff Press Sec. Rice on White House Proposal to Break Armenia-Azerbaijan Military Aid Parity

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA)

Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI)

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA) pressed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today on the Administration’s proposal to break an agreement to maintain military aid parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan, citing Baku’s threats of renewed aggression and its recent cross-border attacks against Nagorno Karabagh, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

Calling the recent Azerbaijani attacks against Nagorno Karabagh’s Mardakert region as the “the worst breach [of the cease fire] in over 10 years”, Rep. Knollenberg asked Secretary Rice how the Administration intends to respond to Azerbaijan’s aggression and war rhetoric. She replied that, “we are very concerned about the heating up rhetoric but I think the way to deal with this is to open channels to both sides and to try to bring them to a solution.” Read more. . .

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2) ARMENIAN CAUCUS RALLIES SUPPORT FOR ARMENIAN AID PRIORITIES

Seeks Development of U.S.-Nagorno Karabagh Diplomatic Relations

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ)

Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI)

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) are currently collecting signatures among their House colleagues on a letter urging the leaders of the U.S. State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee to support provisions in the FY09 foreign aid bill that advance U.S. interests and American values in Armenia and the surrounding region, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The letter, addressed to Subcommittee Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Ranking Member Frank Wolf (R-VA), outlines six key policy priorities:

1) Cutting all military aid to Azerbaijan due to its threats of renewed wa
2) Allocating $5 million in military aid to Armenia
3) Continuing Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act
4) Allocating $70 million in economic aid to Armenia
5) Allocating $10 million in development aid to Nagorno Karabagh 6) Restoring diplomatic relations with Nagorno Karabagh. Read more. . .

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3) ANTI-GENOCIDE ACTIVISTS END FIRST DAY OF CAPITOL HILL ADVOCACY

Congressional Hopeful Jackie Speier Offers Inspiring Remarks at Kick-off Breakfast

WASHINGTON, DC - Activists from more than a dozen states spread out across Capitol Hill today for the first of three days of non-stop anti-genocide advocacy, capped with an evening reception featuring powerful remarks by outspoken Congressional human rights leaders, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The three day program, hosted for the second year in a row by the ANCA and the Genocide Intervention Network (GI-Net), puts community human rights advocates directly in touch with dozens of legislators and every single Senate and House office in support of practical legislative initiatives to stop the genocide in Darfur and end Turkey’s ongoing denial of the Armenian Genocide.

The day began with an early morning briefing in the Aramian Conference Room at the ANCA national headquarters and powerful welcoming remarks by Jackie Kanchelian-Speier, a veteran of the California legislature and currently a leading candidate running in the Special Election to fill California's 12th Congressional District. If elected, former State Senator Speier will become the second Armenian American in Congress, alongside Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA). In her remarks, she touched on her long experience in advocating Armenian American issues and urged the gathered activists to remain vigilant and act effectively in seeking to end the cycle of genocide. Read more. . .