Armenian Americans from the Grand Canyon State welcomed this week Congressman Harry Mitchell's cosponsorship of human rights legislation concerning the Armenian Genocide (H. Res. 106). Congressman Mitchell, who represents Arizona's fifth Congressional District, has previously served as the Mayor of Tempe, as Chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party and had a distinguished tenure in the State Senate.

"Our community here in Arizona appreciates Congressman Mitchell's cosponsorship of the Armenian Genocide resolution," commented Arizona ANC Chairman Yervant Baltajian. "We thank Congressman Mitchell for his principled leadership on this issue which is important to our rapidly growing community in Arizona's 5th Congressional District," Baltajian added.

Baltajian and ANC activists working with the ANCA-WR and national ANCA offices contacted Congressman Mitchell's local and Washington, D.C. staff regarding the resolution back in March of this year. This past May, Baltajian and Arizona ANC activist Salpi Demirjian met with Congressman Mitchell's aides in his Scottsdale office to discuss the resolution and the Armenian Genocide.

Arizona's 5th Congressional District, which covers Scottsdale, Tempe, and portions of Phoenix's northwestern suburbs such as Fountain Hills, Camp Creek, and Sunflower, is home to a large and growing Armenian American community. The community is composed of many legal, medical and business professionals, along with a large number of entrepreneurs who own their own businesses.

The resolution needs 218 cosponsors for voting in the House of Representatives.