LANSING — The U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of House Resolution 296 today to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Similar resolutions have been proposed over the years, but none have ever reached a vote on the House Floor. In response, state Rep. Mari Manoogian (D-Birmingham), the first Armenian-American woman to serve in the Michigan House of Representatives, issued the following statement:
“As a descendant of Armenian Genocide survivors, I am heartened that after more than 100 years, Congress has formally recognized the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, and other Christian minorities by the Ottoman Empire. Today’s action to end the denial of the truth has brought dignity and solace to generations of descendants of Armenian Genocide survivors. This should not be the end of this critical conversation, but rather the beginning of a renewed effort to enshrine recognition into U.S. law and to ensure future generations learn about the Armenian Genocide, as we do here in Michigan.”
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