Transcript [PDF] - House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats

23
as Mr. Payne pointed out, used by Hitler who asked who after all
speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians. He pointed this
out when he was being internally challenged on his policies.
The lesson of the genocide is an argument I first learned from
my father, who served with General Patton’s Third Army and later
the Seventh when they cut through Germany and finally liberated
the concentration camps at Dachau. He had his brother’s camera,
and he documented on film the ovens with bodies stacked like cordwood,
the rail cars, the trenches filled with the dead in the Holocaust,
and still he finds the need to use those photographs even
today as he confronts those who deny that genocide.
So history is a continuum. Yesterday impacts today, which impacts
tomorrow. It is much harder to get tomorrow right if we get
yesterday wrong. The world’s strength to oppose killing today is
made greater by accountability for actions present, but also past.
It is weakened by denial of accountability of past acts.
Not recognizing the Armenian Genocide as such weakens us. For
the sake of genocides past and present, I urge the passage of this
bipartisan resolution. 1.5 million Armenians were murdered. Five
hundred thousand were removed from their homeland. Passing this
resolution will be a victory for human rights. I yield back, Mr.
Chairman.
Chairman BERMAN. The time of the gentleman has expired. The
chair intends to recognize one more speaker before we recess for
three votes. It is the chair’s intention to reconvene when we come
back and proceed through the debate and to a vote without any
break for lunch, and the chair does not intend to buy lunch for the
members who are here.
The gentleman from New York, Mr. McMahon. Do you seek recognition
Mr. MCMAHON. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I seek recognition to
strike the last word.
Chairman BERMAN. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. MCMAHON. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My district of Staten
Island and Brooklyn in New York is a deeply diverse district, and
it is my own belief that to represent people from all over the world
it is important to bring different communities together and to encourage
dialogue.
I take great pride in representing families that have broken free
from the centuries of nationalist rhetoric and oppression of the old
to now pursue peaceful lives in multi-ethnic communities throughout
our great nation. I have often sought to encourage communications
between Greeks, Cypriots, Turks and Armenians in my district
and around the world, and in particular I am very supportive
of the efforts of Secretary Clinton to help normalize relations between
Armenia and Turkey.
I continue to advocate for an occupation free, bizonal and
bicommunal Cyprus Federation. I am a proud and active member
of the Hellenic Caucus. It is the first caucus that I joined when I
came to Congress last year. But I see my job as one to build
bridges and so I have also joined the Turkish Caucus as well. I am
in favor of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh issue and look forward
to the day when a wave of prosperity and security sweeps over the
Mediterranean and the Caucasus.
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