The last 46th congressman did not vote for H.Res.252 condemning Genocide against Armenians in Ottoman Turkey in 1915 adopted March 4 by the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

According to Turkish Vatan paper, congresswoman from Texas Sheila Jackson Lee was under the pressure of U.S. defense industry businessmen basically from Texas. For years Jackson Lee was backing Armenian Genocide resolution, but found herself under the pressure of Turkish and Armenian lobbies right before the voting. During the discussions she delivered a speech saying she’ll vote for the motion, but entering the chamber saw 23 votes against 22 and decided to abstain. Thereby she avoided tension with Texas defense industrial companies, meanwhile not hurting Armenians.

Earlier, 5 giant U.S. defense companies appealed to the Committee requesting not to pass the resolution.

S.T.