Transcript [PDF] - House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats

33
Chairman BERMAN. In other words, essentially call the roll at
2:15 and keep the roll open until 2:45. Is there any objection to
that suggestion
[No response.]
Chairman BERMAN. Without objection, that will be the order, Mr.
Henry Clay. You didn’t hear me, or I am doing something I am not
allowed to do You are saying I am doing something I am not allowed
to do. I am willing to take any embarrassment. Why don’t
you tell us what you are thinking here
Ms. RUSH. I would defer to the chief counsel, but I believe unless
we spoke slowly for 1 ⁄2 hour to take the vote. I guess that would
be okay, but we can’t——
Chairman BERMAN. If I get unanimous consent to schedule a vote
where the roll will be called in a regular order at 2:15, but that
roll will not close until 2:45, there is something in the House rules
that keeps me from doing that
Ms. RUSH. Well, normally we would just——
Chairman BERMAN. Let us leave that as the decision now. I have
received unanimous consent to call the roll at 2:15 and keep that
roll open until 2:45, and if I am advised that that is not the proper
way to do it we will come back with another suggestion.
Ms. RUSH. Okay.
Chairman BERMAN. Okay. All right. The gentleman from South
Carolina, Mr. Inglis, is recognized.
Mr. INGLIS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman BERMAN. Move to strike the last word. The gentleman
is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. INGLIS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just would associate myself
with the comments by Mr. Delahunt and Mr. McCaul. It is a
very difficult question.
If the atrocities were ongoing then it seems to me the United
States would have an obligation to act, but these are historical
facts and the current parties, which are different governments, are
trying to work out that history and to come to some reconciliation.
And so for us to enter that seems ill-advised because while I
would agree with what has been said here, that we see the facts
of the genocide, we see the horrors, and the United States has already
spoken on this, to enter now and to potentially disrupt the
process, the reconciliation process, I think is ill-advised.
Also I think the thing that affects me is I have some information
that it may in fact harm Armenians and so to have our entrance
into this actually harm people who are trying to seek reconciliation
now seems like not a terribly good way to proceed.
All countries have to deal with their past, and we all have things
that we must work through about our past. Several things about
our past have been mentioned here—our treatment of Native
Americans, our treatment of slaves in America. We are still dealing
with the scourges of those sins, but to have other countries entering
and trying to urge us along to award some resolution when in
fact the resolution is going to come in the hearts of Americans and
working through those things will take time.
I think this is probably the same case with the Armenians and
the Turks. So with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
VerDate 0ct 09 2002 14:28 May 18, 2010 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\WORK\FULL\030410M\55273 HFA PsN: SHIRL