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WASHINGTON—With less than a month remaining to the Colorado
primaries, each of the four candidates in the state’s
highly-competitive Senate race have publicly staked out their
stance in support of U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
Colorado’s Senate seat, currently in contention, is held by
Michael Bennet (D-CO), formerly Denver’s Schools Superintendent,
who was appointed by Colorado’s governor to fill the post after
Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO) left to become the Obama
Administration’s Secretary of the Interior. The winner of this
race, which is currently being contested by two Democrats and
two Republicans, will be elected to a full six-year term.
The
Centennial State’s other Senator, Mark Udall, who has pledged
publicly and repeatedly as a candidate to work for Armenian
Genocide recognition, has, since his election, stated that he
will not cosponsor the Armenian Genocide Resolution. He will be
up for reelection in 2014.
Colorado Armenian Americans have made U.S. affirmation of the
Armenian Genocide a key factor in their support for
Congressional candidates, with Rocky Mountain Hye Advocates (RMHA)
activists Pamela Barsam Brown and Vi Bashian Cooper leading the
charge in circulating candidate questionnaires in the 2008 and
2010 election seasons.
The
positions articulated by the four Senate candidates are provided
below.
Democrats:
*Andrew Romanoff
Romanoff was the first candidate to release his Armenian
Genocide statement and pledge to serve as a cosponsor of
legislation condemning and commemorating this crime. His
October 2009 statement was released as he declared his
candidacy, and reaffirmed in a May 20th statement posted on his
campaign website:
“From
the outset of my political career I have stood firm with the
human rights community in advocating recognition of past
genocides and urging strong action against those societies
seeking to perpetrate ethnic cleansing.”
“Last
November, I vowed to be an original co-sponsor of an Armenian
genocide affirmation resolution. This would bring unequivocal
clarity to America’s moral position on the Armenian genocide,
which resulted in the deaths of two-thirds of Armenians residing
in their ancient historic homeland – the Ottoman Empire.”
“Colorado has clearly spoken on this issue. The state’s Armenian
community was joined in its April 2010 memorial with an
outpouring of bi-partisan support that included a General
Assembly resolution and proclamations from Governor Ritter and
Mayor Hickenlooper.”
“Efforts in Congress, however, to similarly stand together, have
languished. So I am renewing my pledge to vigorously work for
the Senate adoption of an Armenian Genocide resolution, and I am
proud to do so.” [signed] Andrew Romanoff
*Michael Bennet
Bennet is seeking a full six-year term in the seat he was
appointed to fill last year.
In
February of 2010, he cosponsored the Armenian Genocide
Resolution (S.Res. 316), and also issued a statement in which he
said, “I also pledge to support similar legislation in the
2010-2011 Congress.” His term, if elected, would extend through
January of 2017. In making this commitment, Bennet noted that,
“the lessons of ignoring a travesty such as this have been made
all too clear.” Rocky Mountain Hye Advocates (RMHA) has asked
Senator Bennet to clarify that his commitment to this human
rights issue will extend throughout his service in the U.S.
Senate.
Republicans:
*Ken
Buck
Buck
issued his first Armenian Genocide co-sponsorship pledge
statement in February of 2010 and reaffirmed his stand in a June
2nd press release stating:
“As
global leaders, we as Americans are charged with the
responsibility of perpetuating statements and policies that
respect the inalienable rights of every person. As the next U.S.
Senator from Colorado, I will proudly co-sponsor a resolution
that will finally acknowledge the brutality against the
Armenians for what it was: genocide.”
Buck’s public announcement of his pledge has been reported in
the Greeley Tribune and is available on his
campaign website:
*Jane
Norton
Norton, a former Lieutenant Governor, issued her campaign pledge
in January of 2010:
“I am
honored to pledge that if elected to serve the citizens of
Colorado as their Senator, I will co-sponsor an Armenian
Genocide Resolution until our nation affirms this tragic
historical event.”
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