Entire Issue
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 108 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 150 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2004 No. 55 House of Representatives The House met at 12:30 p.m. and was ence of 19 survivors, the community of Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923, called to order by the Speaker pro tem- Worcester paid homage to the martyrs where one-and-a-half million Armenians pore (Mr. BOOZMAN). and survivors of the Armenian Geno- were killed and over half-a-million survivors were exiled. f cide and their descendents. Our city has been especially blessed by the Mr. Speaker, last May, the House presence and contributions of a large and DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO Committee on the Judiciary reported vital Armenian community. Each year we TEMPORE out House Resolution 193. We have been come to this church to recognize, honor and The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- waiting for nearly 1 year now for the remember that this rich heritage is, in part, fore the House the following commu- Speaker of the House to schedule this a sad inheritance paid with the blood of mil- lions of innocent men, women and children. nication from the Speaker: bill for a debate and for a vote, and I would urge at this time that the I know that most of you are aware that WASHINGTON, DC, legislation has been introduced in the U.S. April 27, 2004. Speaker schedule this bill as quickly as House of Representatives which reaffirms I hereby appoint the Honorable JOHN possible so that the House of Rep- U.S. support for the Genocide Convention, BOOZMAN to act as Speaker pro tempore on resentatives may join those nations calls upon the president and the U.S. govern- this day. and those scholars who affirm the ment to work to prevent future genocides, J. DENNIS HASTERT, Genocide Convention and recognize the and recognizes the Armenian Genocide. Speaker of the House of Representatives. Armenian Genocide and Holocaust as This bill, H. Res. 193, has 110 bipartisan co- sponsors and was reported out of the House f genocides of the 20th century. Mr. Speaker, I am submitting for the Judiciary Committee last May. It has been MORNING HOUR DEBATES waiting for nearly one year now for the RECORD comments I made at the Arme- Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert, to put The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- nian Church of Our Savior this past it on the schedule of the House for debate ant to the order of the House of Janu- Sunday. and vote. ary 20, 2004, the Chair will now recog- I would very much like to thank Father I am always amazed that there are those in nize Members from lists submitted by Terzian and the community of faith of the Congress who view this bill as controversial. the majority and minority leaders for Armenian Church of Our Savior for inviting They are influenced, in part, by those voices me once again to this commemoration. It is who continue to deny that the Armenian morning hour debates. The Chair will Genocide or the Holocaust, which is also alternate recognition between the par- one of the great privileges of my office to participate in this annual day of remem- cited in this bill, ever happened. The Turkish ties, with each party limited to not to brance of the martyrs and survivors of the government, for example, claims that the exceed 30 minutes, and each Member, Armenian Genocide. Armenian Genocide does not meet the defini- except the majority leader, the minor- It is a privilege to be in the company of tion of genocide, despite the fact that the fa- ity leader, or the minority whip, lim- our city’s mayor, the Honorable Tim Mur- ther of the Genocide Convention, human ited to not to exceed 5 minutes. ray, and in the company of Councilor Petty, rights pioneer Rafael Lemkin, specifically The Chair recognizes the gentleman Representative Leary, Representative cited the Holocaust and the Armenian Geno- Fresolo, Senator Moore, Senator Glodis, and cide as the two clear instances of genocidal from Massachusetts (Mr. MCGOVERN) Selectman Montocalvo. And I am very much crimes covered by the Convention. for 5 minutes. looking forward to the pleasure of hearing Contrary to the Turkish government’s f the Worcester Chorale perform after their claims, legal scholars, historians, human five-month break, under the continuing lead- rights organizations, journalists and the ma- TIME TO REMEMBER THE ership of Maestro Petrossian. jority of political leaders around the world ARMENIAN GENOCIDE It is also a pleasure for me to share the po- firmly believe and assert that the 1915 mass dium with Nathaniel Mencow, who is so well slaughter of Armenians fits the legal defini- Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, this known for his work as a historian, and who tion of genocide. April marks the 89th anniversary of has worked for so long for the recognition of Israel Charney, the noted genocide and the cataclysmic events that occurred the heroic service of his brother, First Lieu- Holocaust scholar and the editor of the re- in the Turkish Ottoman Empire be- tenant William Martin Mencow, who gave spected Encyclopedia of Genocide, has writ- tween 1915 and 1923, where 1.5 million his life in defense of freedom during World ten extensively about the psychology of Armenians were killed and over a half War II. genocide denial. He has stressed that to deny million survivors were forcibly de- But I am most privileged and most honored the countless deaths of a known event of ported into exile. to be here in the presence of survivors of the genocide is to celebrate those deaths and to send a signal that the power that brought On Sunday, I had the privilege to Armenian Genocide, their descendents, and the descendents of those who perished in the about this destruction is still in force and participate in a service at the Arme- genocide. can be used again when opportunity permits. nian Church of Our Savior in Worces- This April marks the 89th anniversary of To seek to erase agonizing memories—to as- ter, Massachusetts, where in the pres- the cataclysmic events that occurred in the sert that those memories are false—is to b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H2379 . VerDate jul 14 2003 00:22 Apr 28, 2004 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A27AP7.000 H27PT1 H2380 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE April 27, 2004 openly mock the feelings and sensibilities of Afghanistan. As we confront the threat STOP THE FISCAL MADNESS the victims and their descendents—to once of terrorism in the post-September 11 The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- again victimize the victims. world, I am confident that the Inter- ant to the order of the House of Janu- This is why it is so important to recog- national Republican Institute will con- nize—openly and freely, officially and infor- ary 20, 2004, the gentleman from Mary- mally, every single day—the events of the tinue as an important contributor to land (Mr. HOYER) is recognized for 5 Armenian Genocide. the cause of freedom. minutes during morning hour debates. America, along with the rest of the world, Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, this week is famous for using the words ‘‘never again,’’ f the American people will see that what when speaking about the Armenian Genocide our Republican friends lack in policy and the Holocaust carried out by Nazi Ger- MARRIAGE TAX PENALTY candor they more than make up for in many. Unfortunately, ‘‘never again’’ happens chutzpah. Why do I say that? This over and over again—in Cambodia, in Rwan- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- week, as we have just heard, the Re- da, in Kosovo, and now in present-day Sudan. ant to the order of the House of Janu- publican majority is expected to take It has been a blessing to me in my work ary 20, 2004, the gentleman from Texas that when genocide threatens any people, up legislation that would permanently (Mr. DELAY) is recognized during morn- anywhere in the world, the Armenian-Amer- eliminate the marriage penalty. Every- ing hour debates. ican community has always worked to bring body on this House floor is for that ob- Mr. DELAY. Mr. Speaker, this week these events to my attention and to the at- jective. tention of U.S. and international policy- the House will take aim at a looming But do not be fooled. Democrats and makers. The Armenian-American commu- injustice. The marriage tax penalty Republicans both agree that married nity has always joined with other organiza- was a relic of 40 years of persistent tax couples should not have to pay more in tions to educate the public about present- hikes codified by Democrat Congresses day horrors and to organize relief and sup- taxes than they would as unmarried in- into Federal law. In essence, it pun- dividuals filing separately. That makes port for victims and survivors. ished married taxpayers simply for In this way, through these works, the trag- sense. That is fair. We are for it. Mem- being married. The standard deduction edy of the Armenian Genocide is transformed bers in both parties agree that the so- into a legacy of life, of hope, of survival and married couples could take was less called marriage penalty should be rem- resistance.