August 18, 2006

Rep. Pete Stark Cosponsors "Open Railroads Act," Joins Armenian Caucus
Rep. Eshoo states opposition to the removal of US Amb. to Armenia John Evans
Part of string of Bay Area ANC meetings with district representatives

Fremont, CA, Aug. 10 – Meeting with the Bay Area ANC and constituents, Congressman Pete Stark (D-CA) agreed to join the growing list of cosponsors of H.R. 3361, the South Caucasus Integration and Open Railroads Act of 2005. During the meeting at his district office, Rep. Stark also agreed to join the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues. The meeting, attended by ANC representative Armen Carapetian, and Stark constituents, Sergey Malyan and David Ojakian, was one of several visits to Bay Area Congressional offices initiated by the Armenian National Committee of America's Western Region office and coincided with the Congressional August Recess. The group also thanked Rep. Stark for recently cosponsoring the latest House resolution reaffirming the US record on the Armenian Genocide (H.Res. 316), and for joining other representatives in calling on President Bush to properly characterize the Armenian Genocide.

Carapetian briefed Stark on the South Caucasus Integration and Open Railroads Act of 2005 (H.R. 3361), introduced by Armenian Issues Caucus Co-chairman Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI). The group explained that the bill would prevent any US financing of the $1 billion railway connecting Turkey and Azerbaijan, if the track deliberately bypassed Armenia. They said the Baku-Tibilisi-Kars railway project is one of a series of moves in the region serving to undermine Armenia's development rather than building regional peace through inclusion of Armenia. Congressman Stark, a senior member of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, agreed to cosponsor the bill.

ANC members and constituents Hasmig Samurkashian and Khatchig Tazian joined Carapetian in a meeting with Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA) in her Palo Alto office on August 9th. The group updated Rep. Eshoo on the State Department's removal of US Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, for his forthright characterization of the Armenian Genocide.

"I'm very concerned about the removal of US Ambassador to Armenia [John] Evans and the nomination for his replacement, Ambassador Richard Hoagland…I will do everything I can to oppose this unwarranted change," wrote Congresswoman Eshoo in a letter following the meeting.

Rep. Eshoo, who is of Armenian and Assyrian descent, expressed her appreciation for the ANCA's continued advancement of issues of concern to Armenian Americans as well as it's early and continued support of her public service. She cited the organization's effort urging the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) to remove a program featuring a panel discussion on the Armenian Genocide that framed the event as a debatable issue. Rep. Eshoo was instrumental in the Bay Area effort that led to San Francisco PBS affiliate KQED's cancellation of the program.

Following the meeting with Rep. Stark, Carapetian visited the district offices of Reps. George Miller (D-CA) and Ellen Tauscher (D-CA). In meetings with the district directors and staff of each office, Carapetian reviewed the ANCA's mission and goals and thanked the Representatives for their steadfast support of efforts to end the denial of the Armenian Genocide. Collaborative initiatives aimed at raising each Representative's involvement in both legislative and community affairs were also discussed.