February 11, 2006 - 16:00 AMT
Senator Allard Supported Armenian Resolution
Senate Deputy Majority Whip Wayne Allard (R-CO) agreed yesterday to add his name to the growing list of congressional leaders for U.S. reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide. He signed on as the 26th cosponsor of the pan-Armenian Genocide resolution, S. Res. 320, reported the Armenian Assembly of America. Colorado's junior Senator, Democrat Ken Salazar, is also a cosponsor.

S. Res. 320, which was introduced last November by Senator John Ensign (R-NV) and Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin (D-IL), calls on the President to "ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding" of the "Armenian Genocide" and to "accurately characterize the systematic and deliberate annihilation of 1,500,000 Armenians as genocide" in the President's annual message.

The Senate version compliments House resolution 316 which was introduced in June 2005 by Congressmen George Radanovich (R-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ). The House bill, which has more than 144 cosponsors to date, passed the House International Relations Committee by a resounding vote in September.