UPDATED – US Senate Passes Armenian Genocide Resolution with Unanimous Consent

WASHINGTON – Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Ted Cruz (R-T.X), led the way for the Senate to pass S. Res. 150 by Unanimous Consent. The legislation formally recognizes the Armenian Genocide.

Today was Menendez’s fourth attempt in the last month to get the Senate to pass the resolution and affirm the historical facts of the genocide, 104 years after it occurred. 

“ACA extends its gratitude to Senators Menendez and Cruz for their tireless efforts in getting S Res 150 passed unanimously in the US Senate,” said Armenian Council of America Chairman Sevak Khatchadorian. “With the earlier passage of the Armenian Genocide resolution in the House, and today, the Senate, our decades-long work of advocacy towards this issue has paid off and we are proud that the US government has chosen humanity over geopolitics.”

Previously, every time the Resolution was put on the Senate floor, a Republican Senator, urged by the White House, blocked it. Under the Senate’s rules any senator can ask to pass a resolution. As long as another senator doesn’t object, the measure will clear the chamber.

“Today’s historic vote in the US Senate affirming the Armenian Genocide, the first ever held in the upper chamber, is the culmination of decades of work by Armenian Americans and elected officials who together overcame and soundly rejected the longest campaign of state sponsored genocide denial on human history.” stated Taniel Koushakjian as ACA’s Washington D.C. Representative.

“Today’s vote puts America on the right side of history. Today’s vote gives Armenian Americans a stronger sense of pride and acceptance now that our government recognizes our history and our existence. Even more, today’s vote helps to heal our century old wounds and gives hope to millions of people around the world who are fighting for their rights and freedoms.” added Koushakjian.

The Armenian genocide resolution passed the House in a 405-11 vote on October 29, 2019.