More than twenty U.S. Senators and Representatives addressed a highly-motivated, standing-room-only crowd of Armenian Americans this evening during an inspiring Congressional remembrance ceremony marking the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The energetic program, held in the historic Kennedy Caucus Room on the Senate side of Capitol Hill, featured sharp criticism of the Obama Administration’s refusal to recognize the Armenian Genocide, and impassioned calls for Congressional action to properly condemn and commemorate this crime. 

As in years past, the observance was hosted by the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues - co-chaired by Representatives Ed Royce (R-CA) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ) - in conjunction with Armenian American organizations, and with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia and the Office of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

Among the U.S. legislators participating in the remembrance were Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) and Representatives Joe Baca (D-CA), Howard Berman (D-CA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), David Cicilline (D-RI), Robert Dold (R-IL), Elliot Engel (D-NY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Janice Hahn (D-CA), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Laura Richardson (D-CA), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), Ed Royce (R-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Jackie Speier (D-CA), and Bob Turner (R-NY).

In addition to remarks by legislators, powerful speeches were offered by Armenia’s Ambassador to the U.S., Tatoul Markarian, and Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh Representative Robert Avetisyan.