SENATE
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) – ANCA Rating: A+
Sen. Ed Markey
Sen. Markey has been a leading force on issues of concern to the Armenian-American community in Massachusetts and throughout the nation since first being elected to Congress in 1976. After 19 terms in the House of Representatives, Sen. Markey won a special election in June 2013, to serve the remaining term of Sen. John Kerry, who was appointed Secretary of State. Sen. Markey is a co-sponsor of S. Res. 410, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and voted for its passage in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on April 10, 2014. He consistently participates in the annual Capitol Hill Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, and has asked tough questions of U.S. ambassadorial nominees to Turkey and Azerbaijan on a range of community concerns. Most recently, Sen. Markey was outspoken in his frustration with Turkey’s refusal to assist in the U.S. battle against ISIS.
Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) – ANCA Rating: A+
Sen. Jack Reed
Sen. Reed was first elected to the Senate in 1996, following three terms in the House of Representatives. Sen. Reed is a co-sponsor of S. Res. 410, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and has co-sponsored similar resolutions throughout his time in Congress. In the early 1990’s, Sen. Reed traveled to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh, and has been a strong advocate for the independence movement of the people of Artsakh. He consistently participates in the annual Capitol Hill Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, and has repeatedly offered statements for the Congressional Record on the genocide. Sen. Reed also maintains a very close relationship with the Armenian-American community in Rhode Island, and is a constant presence at local events throughout the state.
Rep. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) – ANCA Rating: A+
Rep. Gary Peters
Now serving in his third term, Rep. Peters was elected to the House of Representatives in 2008, defeating the Republican Co-Chair of the Armenian Caucus, Rep. Joe Knollenberg. Rep. Peters is seeking to replace Sen. Carl Levin, a longtime supporter of the Armenian-American community, who is retiring after five terms in the Senate. As a member of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, Rep. Peters co-sponsored H. Res. 227, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and signed two letters to the chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs of the House Appropriations Committee calling for increased aid to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh. He was outspoken in condemning Azerbaijan’s attacks against the Armenian community in Sumgait, Baku, and Kirovabad, offering annual statements for the Congressional record.
Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) – ANCA Rating: A
Sen. Richard Durbin
As the second highest ranking Democrat in the Senate, Assistant Majority Leader Durbin has been a strong supporter of Armenian-American priorities during his tenure in the Senate. Sen. Durbin is a co-sponsor of S. Res. 410, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and voted for its passage in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on April 10, 2014. In September 2013, following a trip to Armenia earlier that year, Sen. Durbin introduced S. 1548, the Haiti and Armenia Reforestation Act of 2013, to expand reforestation efforts in Armenia.
Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) – ANCA Rating: A-
Rep. Bruce Braley
First elected to the U.S. House in 2006, Rep. Braley is rallying to secure the seat of retiring U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D). A member of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, Rep. Braley co-sponsored H. Res. 227, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and signed two letters to the leadership of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, calling for increased aid to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh. Rep. Braley has also attended the Capitol Hill Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.
Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) – ANCA Rating: B
Sen. Chris Coons
First elected in 2010, Sen. Coons served on the power Senate Foreign Relations Committee and on April 10, 2014, voted for S. Res. 410, the Armenian Genocide Resolution. This was the first time that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee had taken up that human rights measure in more than 20 years.
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) – ANCA Rating: C+
Sen. Mitch McConnell
Sen. McConnell serves as the Minority Leader in the Senate, and has often championed foreign assistance issues relating to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh, in particular Section 907 restrictions on U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan due to its ongoing blockade and aggression against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Robert Dold (R-Ill.-10)
Robert Dold
The 2014 election is a rematch of the 2012 Congressional race when Rep. Brad Schneider very narrowly defeated by first-term Congressman Robert Dold. As a freshman member, Rep. Dold immediately stepped up to take a leadership position on Armenian-American concerns, joining with Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) to serve as the lead Republican co-sponsor of H. Res. 304, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and speaking passionately at the annual Armenian Genocide Observance on Capitol Hill. He was also an early supporter of H. Res. 306, the Return of Churches and Religious Freedom Resolution, and attended events on Capitol Hill celebrating the 20th anniversaries of the independence of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh. For his consistent leadership on community concerns, then-Congressional Armenian Caucus Republican Co-Chair Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.) announced Rep. Dold’s appointment as Republican Vice-Chair of the Caucus in September 2012.
Rep. Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.-11) – ANCA Rating: A+
Rep. Michael Grimm
After defeating one of the most outspoken pro-Turkey House Members, former Congressman Michael McMahon, in a tight 2010 House race, Rep. Grimm has championed issues of concern to the Armenian-American community, serving as Republican Co-Chair of the Armenian Caucus. He has co-sponsored H. Res. 227, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and signed two letters to the chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs of the House Appropriations Committee calling for increased aid to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh. He has attended several commemorations of the Armenian Genocide and events relating to the freedom movement of Nagorno-Karabagh.
Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.-1) – ANCA Rating: A+
Rep. David Cicilline
With his first election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010, Rep. Cicilline has championed a broad range of Armenian-American concerns. On April 24, 2014, Rep. Cicilline participated in a Congressional delegation visit to Armenia where he and his colleagues commemorated the Armenian Genocide at Dzidzernagapert, the Armenian Genocide memorial in Yerevan. He is a co-sponsor of H. Res. 227, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and of H. R. 4347, the Turkey Christian Churches Accountability Act, which was passed by the House Foreign Affairs Committee on June 26, 2014. Rep. Cicilline has spoken the House floor about the Armenian Genocide, and he welcomed His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, to deliver the opening prayer in the House of Representatives in April 2013. He has also been an outspoken advocate for self-determination for the people of Nagorno-Karabagh and has attended several commemorative events on Capitol Hill. Since his years as Mayor of Providence, he has fostered close ties with Providence Armenian community.
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.-6) – ANCA Rating: A+
Rep. Frank Pallone
As founder and Democratic Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, Rep. Pallone has been a leading voice on Armenian-American issues in Congress for more than 20 years. He has been a consistent co-sponsor of Armenian Genocide legislation and, more recently, efforts to secure Turkey’s return of Christian properties to their rightful owners. Working with his colleagues, he has initiated calls for expanded U.S. assistance to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh and spoken out about the plight of Armenians and other Christians in the Middle East. He has been a perennial participant at Armenian-American community events, including the Armenian Genocide Observance at Times Square.
Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.-5) – ANCA Rating: A+
Rep. Katherine Clark
Elected in November 2013 to fill the vacancy created by Rep. Ed Markey’s election to the Senate, Rep. Clark has forged strong bonds with the local Armenian-American community—the largest in the Eastern United States. Rep. Clark is a co-sponsor of H. Res. 227, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and H. R. 4347, the Turkey Christian Churches Accountability Act. In February 2014, she issued a statement for the Congressional Record on the 1988 pogroms against Armenians in Sumgait, and also signed a letter to the chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs of the House Appropriations Committee calling for increased aid to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh.
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.-2) – ANCA Rating: A+
Rep. Jim McGovern
Rep. McGovern serves as the Democratic Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and has been a principled voice for truth regarding Congressional reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide, among the broad array of international human rights concerns he champions. During this Congress, he was an early supporter of H. R. 4347, the Turkey Christian Churches Accountability Act. Rep. McGovern represents one of the oldest Armenian-American communities, Worcester, Mass., which is the home of the first Armenian church in the United States.
Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.-3) – ANCA Rating: A+
Rep. John Sarbanes
Like his father before him in the Senate, Rep. Sarbanes has been a consistent and outspoken leader on Armenian and Hellenic American issues, advocating for recognition of the Armenian Genocide on the floor of the House of Representatives and passage of H. R. 4347, the Turkey Christian Churches Accountability Act. Rep. Sarbanes also issued a strongly worded statement supporting the freedom-loving people of Nagorno-Karabagh.
Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.-12) – ANCA Rating: A+
Rep. Gus Bilirakis
As the Republican Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, Rep. Bilirakis co-sponsored H. Res. 227, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and H. R. 4347, the Turkey Christian Churches Accountability Act, actively advocating for its passage in the House Foreign Affairs Committee. In September 2014, Rep. Bilirakis was selected as a Republican Vice-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues. He has submitted a statement to the Congressional Record on the Armenian Genocide and has been a passionate voice for justice at the annual Capitol Hill commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.
Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.-2) – ANCA Rating: A+
Rep. Jim Langevin
Rep. Langevin, along with the entire Rhode Island Congressional delegation, has been a very strong supporter of issues of concern to the Armenian-American community. He has co-sponsored H. Res. 227, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and H. R. 4347, the Turkey Christian Churches Accountability Act. Rep. Langevin has signed two letters to the chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs of the House Appropriations Committee calling for increased aid to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh. He also signed the letter to President Obama asking for the release of the Armenian Orphan Rug, now set to be displayed in November 2014. He enjoys close ties with the Rhode Island Armenian community, often attending local events.
Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.-4) – ANCA Rating: A+
Rep. Chris Smith
As Co-Chair of the Helsinki Committee and a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Smith spoke in strong support of H. R. 4347, the Turkey Christian Churches Accountability Act, during the vote before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. During a Congressional delegation trip to Baku, Azerbaijan, Rep. Smith sharply criticized the leadership of Azerbaijan for repeated human rights violations. Rep. Smith has been outspoken in condemning Armenian Genocide denial, chairing the last House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearing devoted to the Armenian Genocide in 1996.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.-12) – ANCA Rating: A+
Rep. Carolyn Maloney
As the Democratic Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, Rep. Maloney co-sponsored H. Res. 227, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and H. R. 4347, the Turkey Christian Churches Accountability Act. She is a perennial participant at the Armenian Genocide Observance at Times Square, and signed a letter to the chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs of the House Appropriations Committee calling for increased aid to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh.
Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.-16) – ANCA Rating: A+
Rep. Eliot Engel
As the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Engel has been at the forefront of special issues of concern to the Armenian-American community, particularly for the self-determination of the people of Nagorno-Karabagh. He joined with Chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.) of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in serving as lead sponsors of H. R. 4347, the Turkey Christian Churches Accountability Act. Rep. Engel was part of a Congressional delegation that traveled to Armenia on April 24, 2014, to take part in annual Armenian Genocide commemorations in Yerevan. He is a co-sponsor of H. Res. 227, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and has been a consistent participant at annual Armenian Genocide Observances on Capitol Hill. Rep. Engel also joined with thousands of Armenians at the annual Times Square commemoration of the genocide just days after having returned from Armenia.
Rep. Niki Tsongas (D-Mass.-3) – ANCA Rating: A
Rep. Niki Tsongas
Rep. Tsongas has co-sponsored H. Res. 227, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and H. R. 4347, the Turkey Christian Churches Accountability Act. She sent her own letter to President Obama asking for the release of the Armenian Orphan Rug. Rep. Tsongas has forged strong ties with her Armenian-American constituents in the Lowell area, and has attended the annual Capitol Hill Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.
Rep. Sander Levin (D-Mich.-9) – ANCA Rating: A
Rep. Sander Levin
Rep. Levin has repeatedly co-sponsored Armenian Genocide resolutions during his distinguished service in the House of Representatives. He has co-sponsored H. Res. 227, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and has submitted a statement to the Congressional Record on the Armenian Genocide. Most recently, in September 2014, Rep. Levin condemned the bombing and attack on the Armenian Church in Der Zor, Syria.
Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.-17) – ANCA Rating: A-
Rep. Nita Lowey
As the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee and the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Lowey is in a position of leadership to greatly affect foreign aid priorities relating to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh. In the early 1990’s, Rep. Lowey traveled to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh, and her visits to the region have helped her understand the need for continued U.S. assistance to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh. Rep. Lowey is a co-sponsor of H. Res. 227, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and signed a letter to President Obama asking for the release of the Armenian Orphan Rug.
Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-Ill.-3) – ANCA Rating: A-
Rep. Daniel Lipinski
Rep. Lipinski has submitted several statements for the Congressional Record on the Armenian Genocide, and signed two letters to the chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs of the House Appropriations Committee calling for increased aid to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh. Rep. Lipinski also attended the inaugural summit of In Defense of Christians, an organization dedicated to preserving the rich Christian heritage of the Middle East.
Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.-5) – ANCA Rating: A-
Rep. Scott Garrett
Rep. Garrett has co-sponsored H. Res. 227, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and maintains a robust relationship with the Northern New Jersey Armenian-American community. He regularly submits statements to the Congressional Record on the Armenian Genocide and has attended the Capitol Hill Commemoration condemning this crime.
Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.-6) – ANCA Rating: B+
Rep. Grace Meng
Rep. Meng has co-sponsored H. Res. 227, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and H. R. 4347, the Turkey Christian Churches Accountability Act. In April 2013, Rep. Meng met with His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, who is a constituent.
Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.-22) – ANCA Rating: B+
Rep. Lois Frankel
Rep. Frankel, as a freshman Member of Congress who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, was part of a Congressional delegation that traveled to Armenia on April 24, 2014, to take part in annual Armenian Genocide commemorations in Yerevan.
Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-Pa.-7) – ANCA Rating: B+
Rep. Patrick Meehan
Rep. Meehan has co-sponsored H. Res. 227, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and was one of two Members of Congress who attended the 7th Annual ANCA Eastern Region Banquet in Philadelphia on Oct. 12, 2013. In his remarks, Congressman Meehan expressed his concern about the crisis facing the Armenian community in Aleppo, Syria. “I was meeting with the Catholic Archbishop just a few weeks ago and we were talking about Christian communities that have been caught—in Africa, in Syria, in other places in the Middle East—in the middle of civil wars and these types of activity. And often times, these become excuses for the further destruction of those communities. So [the Armenian Genocide] is not just an issue of the past. It’s an issue of the present and the future and you are the voices frequently that allow their voices and cries to be heard.”
Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.-18) – ANCA Rating: B
Rep. Aaron Schock
Rep. Schock signed a letter to President Obama asking for the release of the Armenian Orphan Rug and attended the inaugural summit of In Defense of Christians, an organization dedicated to preserving the rich Christian heritage of the Middle East.
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