Tert.am -- U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Howard Berman (D-CA) has scheduled a vote of his panel on the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.252, for Thursday, March 4, reports the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

"We want to thank Chair Berman for his vision and strength in taking this bold step to send the clear message to Turkey that the United States Congress will not be complicit in their immoral efforts to deny truth and justice for the Armenian Genocide," said Ken Hachikian, Chair of the ANCA, following his meeting yesterday in Washington, DC with the senior California legislator.

"We look forward to working with the Chair and all our friends on the Committee from both parties to facilitate passage of this critical piece of human rights legislation by both this panel and the full House of Representatives. Our grassroots activists are mobilized to help achieve the success of this effort."

Hachikian also consulted yesterday with several other Representatives, most notably, Congressional Armenian Genocide Resolution author Adam Schiff (D-CA), Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ), and senior House Foreign Affairs Committee Members Brad Sherman (D-CA), and Ed Royce (R-CA).

Earlier this week, the ANC of Massachusetts teamed up with Greater Boston area Jewish American groups, Investors Against Genocide and ARAMAC – Massachusetts in launching an online petition calling for Presidential and Congressional recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

The petition (which can only be signed by U.S. citizens) can be found at http://www.change.org/recognizearmeniangenocide/actions/view/tell_congress_to_recognize_the_armenian_genocide