Armenian Genocide resolution introduced again

Kitty Felde/KPCC

Congressman Adam Schiff of Burbank

A Southland congressman has once again introduced a resolution that calls on the United States to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide. A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced a companion resolution.

The resolution by Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff of Burbank calls on the President and the federal government to “recognize and commemorate the atrocities that occurred in Armenia” at the turn of the last century. Those acts, for which Armenians blame Ottoman Turks, resulted in the deaths of an estimated million and a half people.

Schiff co-sponsored a second resolution by Republican Ed Royce and Democrat Howard Berman; it urges the Turkish government to end restrictions on religious gatherings and return stolen church property. Schiff says it’s an effort to “broaden the coalition of people” who will support the resolution. "And we’re determined until Turkey itself recognizes the genocide and restores property from whom it was taken, to keep these efforts up."

Last year when Schiff’s Armenian genocide resolution passed the House Foreign Relations Committee, Turkey recalled its US ambassador in protest. Schiff says the State Department hasn’t pushed back much against his latest effort because of growing dissatisfaction with international cooperation from Turkey.