Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Kevin Uhrich, the long-time editor of the Pasadena Weekly from 1999 to 2020, who passed away on August 23 , 2024.

I had the pleasure of knowing and working with Mr. Uhrich for many years. His unwavering dedication, passion for the issues, and intellect were on full display for those of us who were lucky enough to work with him and read his work. He was truly a remarkable and inspiring individual--a champion for social justice issues committed to covering the vulnerable and disadvantaged of our community.

At all times, like any good journalist, Mr. Uhrich sought to uncover the truth, and fight for what he felt was right and good in his community--always standing up for those whose voices were marginalized and who had few other advocates. He could be tough on elected officials--I can say that too from personal experience--but that was part of his job, part of holding those in power accountable, and he was always fair, professional and transparent in his analysis.

Mr. Uhrich was born on February 24, 1959, and raised in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. He moved to Southern California in 1979 to pursue a career in journalism. After stints at the LA Daily News and the Pasadena Star-News, Uhrich landed at the Weekly, serving as its editor for twenty-one years.

In his passing, Kevin leaves a legacy of service to his community. Through his commitment to the public's right to information and truth, he went above and beyond, not only addressing the critical local issues that demanded attention but also shining a light on the often- overlooked stories that mattered just as much. Kevin truly cared about the people he served and made every effort to truly understand the people within his articles.

Mr. Uhrich's dedication was recognized through many prestigious accolades throughout his journalism career, including the John Anson Ford Award and awards from the Association of Alternative Newsmedia (AAN), California News Publishers Association (CNPA) and the LA Press Club.

My thoughts go out to Marina, Ted, and the rest of Mr. Uhrich's family. His legacy will resonate for years to come, and he will always be remembered for his work and the bright essence of his spirit.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Burbank Tournament of Roses Association and 110th anniversary of the City of Burbank's first float in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade.

The City of Burbank has been represented in the Rose Parade since 1914, when the City

of Burbank, the Burbank Chamber of Commerce, and other civic organizations entered Burbank's first float. That float, entitled ``Goddess of Plenty,'' featured an intricate dragon's head and a large cornucopia filled with assorted vegetables, and was awarded a silver cup trophy. Since that time, Burbank has participated in the parade intermittently, including a few years where decorated automobiles were entered instead of floats. From 1935 to 1940, the Burbank city schools took responsibility for the floats, and after a few years' hiatus during World War II, the city sponsored floats, including an Isabella Coleman-designed float, made by professional float building companies, in 1947 and 1948.

When the City Council decided that funds would be better used for infrastructure and announced that Burbank would not participate in the 1949 Rose Parade, Burbank resident Esther Klein led the effort to privately finance a float. After gaining widespread community support for a hometown-built float, Mrs Klein brought a self-designed model of the proposed entry and exploratory plans for a permanent Burbank Tournament of Roses committee to the Burbank City Council, and subsequently received the council's approval. Thanks to the very first and newly elected Burbank Tournament of Roses Association President Esther Klein's stellar leadership, and against many odds, the association members and the Burbank community raised funds and mobilized volunteers to design, build, and decorate the 1949 float entitled ``First Love,'' which won First Prize for its division.

Over 75 years, Burbank's float has won thirty-three major awards including three Sweepstakes Awards for Best Float Entry. Burbank's annual float entry in this emblematic New Year's Day tradition is a product of the unwavering dedication, hard work and local civic pride demonstrated by the Burbank Tournament of Roses Association and countless other civic organizations and community volunteers.

I ask all Members to join me today in recognizing the 75th anniversary of the Burbank Tournament of Roses Association and the 110th anniversary of Burbank's first float in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Reverend Kathy Cooper Ledesma upon her retirement as the Co-Senior Pastor of the Hollywood United Methodist Church (HUMC), in Los Angeles, California.

Reverend Kathy Cooper Ledesma received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Occidental College in 1982 and a Master of Divinity from the Claremont School of Theology in 1988. Upon completion of her education, Kathy began her service for the California Council of Churches, specializing in education and public policy. Under her outstanding direction as Board Chair, she accomplished several statewide projects on welfare reform faith-based childcare, and interfaith relations. In 2005, Rev. Cooper Ledesma brought her tremendous leadership skills to the University of Southern California Center for Religion and Civic Culture where she worked as a project specialist on issues related to faith communities and preschool for all, earning the Boutillier Award for Distinguished Ecumenical Service.

Rev. Cooper Ledesma is an elder and leading force in the California- Pacific Conference of the United Methodist Church, as well a dedicated member of Hollywood 4WRD, a coalition supporting our unhoused neighbors. As one of the founding leaders of the Homeless Task Force of the Hollywood area faith entities (LA VOICE), Kathy welcomes all with unfailing compassion and limitless kindness, providing hygiene packs and meals for the unhoused population, ensuring that everyone is served both physically and spiritually. Her extensive work with the LGBTQ+ community during her time as the Chair of the Community Advisory Panel of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) HIV/AIDS Education and Prevention Unit has helped countless people, as has her service as the Co-Chair of the Bishop's Task Force on Children and Poverty and a member of the Los Angeles County's Safe Surrender Task Force.

Founded in 1909, the Hollywood United Methodist Church has provided unwavering support and spiritual guidance to its congregants for over a century. Serving the Los Angeles United Methodist Church congregation since 2006, Rev. Cooper Ledesma has worked tirelessly to build faith and spirituality in the heart of Hollywood. For over thirty years, the HUMC has offered supportive services and pastoral counseling for persons and their family members living with HIV/AIDS. The church's installation of the enormous Red Ribbons of Love on both campuses, a universal symbol of awareness and support for those living with HIV/ AIDS, shapes the sanctuary to be a place of ``hope and love.'' Kathy's bright spirit cultivates a vibrant and inclusive congregation that celebrates diversity. Under her leadership as Co-Senior Pastor, the HUMC has excelled in outreach towards young urban professionals, progressives, and families with children.

Rev. Cooper Ledesma is a loving mother of two adult children with her late husband, Rev. Rene Ledesma, and a devoted member of the community.

After over four decades of service, it is an honor to pay homage to Rev. Kathy Cooper Ledesma for her contributions to aiding the unhoused population and promoting faith inclusivity. It has been a great privilege to work with Kathy over the years and see her tremendous impact on the community. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this remarkable, well-respected reverend in California's 30th Congressional District, Rev. Kathy Cooper Ledesma.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, California upon its 100th Anniversary.

Fairfax High School first opened its doors in 1924, welcoming students onto its campus. It was named after Lord Fairfax, an inspiring mentor and friend to future U.S. President George Washington. The school's first Principal was Rae G. Van Cleve, who served until 1938. Originally designed as an agricultural and mechanical school that taught ``practical'' skills, programs on the 28-acre campus included architecture, forestry, agronomy, and landscaping gardening, as students in that area lived in what was then a largely rural part of Los Angeles. In a few short years, and after the gymnasium and a fine arts building were added, the high school was already an established, esteemed institution in the Fairfax area of Los Angeles.

During World War II, many Fairfax students and alumni joined the war effort by enlisting in the military, selling bonds and holding recycling drives. In the 1950's the school had a large Jewish student body and Modern Hebrew classes were taught. The 1960's and 1970's saw many foreign languages being offered including Latin, German, Hebrew and Chinese. While most of the original campus facilities were demolished in 1966 due to new seismic standards, the iconic rotunda and historic auditorium were spared by preservationists and retrofitted. In 1981 the Fairfax Magnet Center for Visual Arts opened and remains the only visual arts magnet in the Los Angeles Unified School District and in 1984, Dr. Virginia Uribe founded Project 10 at Fairfax High School, the nation's first on-site program that welcomed and supported LGBTQ+ students in a school setting. In the mid-1990's, a group of local theater artists held the first Melrose Trading Post flea market to support art, community and small business. Because of its success, the weekly marketplace now hosts hundreds of unique vendors featuring local dancers, musicians and thespians, and works with Greenway Arts Alliance to support Fairfax High School's leadership and arts programs.

For a century, Fairfax High School has provided thousands of students with an excellent education. The school has produced notable alumni across many fields, including well-known late actors Mickey Rooney, Carole Lombard, and Ricardo Montalban, former Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, molecular biologist and public health advocate Marion Nestle, and former Los Angeles Clippers basketball player Craig Smith.

I ask all Members to join me today in honoring Fairfax High School upon its centennial celebration. The entire Los Angeles community joins me in thanking the school for the outstanding educational opportunities it has provided for the youth of California's 30th Congressional District.

Mr. Chair, due to unforeseen events, I was unfortunately unable to cast my vote for legislation considered on the House floor today. Had I been able to be present, I would have voted according to the following: NO, Roll Call 388, on Amendment No. 25; NO, Roll Call 389, on Amendment No. 45; and NO, Roll Call 390, on Amendment No. 57.

personal explanation

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 100th anniversary of the Burbank Community YMCA, located in Burbank, California.

The Burbank Community YMCA was founded in 1924 with a commitment to strengthen individuals through youth development, social responsibility and healthy living. Starting from humble beginnings in a single room, the Burbank Community YMCA has grown into a vital community resource, mirroring the national YMCA's vision of creating stronger communities and a more equitable society by providing comprehensive services and programs. The Burbank YMCA boasts an impressive 57,000 square foot Child Development Center, which provides educationally enriching after- school programs and preschool education, a three-story physical fitness facility, an aquatic center and indoor pool and the Y's Choice Cafe, which offers healthy refreshments as well as a social gathering area.

The Burbank Community YMCA has a wide array of programs in an inclusive environment to help children, individuals and families, regardless of age, socioeconomic status, race, gender, gender expression and identity, ethnicity, religion, cultural background or ability to reach their full potential and become stronger in spirit, mind and body. Programs include family, adult and senior fitness, and youth sports such as swimming and diving lessons and events, baseball, and gymnastics, and ``Learn, Grow, Thrive,'' an educational summer camp in partnership with the Burbank Unified School District for children and youth from low-income households. The YMCA also has the Social Impact Center which opened in 2021, an LGBTQIA+ Resource Center that supports LGBTQIA+ youth and their families, and a robust Youth in Government program.

The Burbank Community YMCA has been an essential force in Burbank, making a positive difference in individuals' lives. The impact over the past century is a testament to its hardworking, committed staff and volunteers, and the residents of Burbank are indeed fortunate to have such a beloved and revered institution in their community.

I ask all Members to join me in congratulating the Burbank Community YMCA for a century of dedication to the greater Burbank area.

Mr. Speaker, the Vote was closed before 92 members could vote. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 283.

Mr. Speaker, contempt: to hold something as beneath the dignity of consideration; something to be scorned; an attitude toward something that is inferior, worthless; open disrespect for something that is vile, despised, disgraced; insolence in the presence of the law.

An apt description not of the subject of this motion but of those who bring it, not of an Attorney General who has upheld our justice system, who has demonstrated a respect for institutions, but of those who mock the idea that we are a nation of laws, not the individual.

When Republicans line up in front of a Manhattan courthouse to denigrate the rule of law in the service of a now-convicted felon, that is contemptuous.

When Republicans peddle the lie that Joe Biden is pulling the levers of Trump's Manhattan prosecution, that is contemptuous.

When Republican committee chairmen ignore their own subpoena but feign indignation when the Attorney General complies with his, that is contemptuous. That is deserving of our scorn. That is beneath the dignity of this body. That is vile, disgraceful, and worthy of derision.

Mr. Speaker, those who bring this motion bring contempt, all right, but only upon themselves.

Mr. Speaker, on June 4, we commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, an event that serves as a stark reminder of the brutality of authoritarianism and its tragic human costs.

Thirty-five years ago in 1989, in the heart of Beijing, the world witnessed a military crackdown on peaceful pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square. The Chinese government's violent suppression of student-led demonstrations shook the world's conscience, leaving a permanent scar on the collective memory of humanity and reminding us of the lengths to which authoritarian regimes will go to maintain their grip on power. There are credible estimates that more than 200,000 Chinese army soldiers killed nearly 1,000 people and wounded many thousands more. In the decades since the massacre, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has relentlessly pursued its agenda of control and repression, which has stifled dissent and trampled on the fundamental rights of its citizens. Freedom of speech, assembly, and religion remain severely curtailed, with censorship and surveillance pervasive throughout the country. Dissidents, human tights activists, and religious

minorities continue to face persecution, imprisonment, and even disappearance simply for expressing their beliefs or advocating for change.

The CCP continues its efforts to control the political discourse across the entire country and in every territory under its control. The crackdown in Hong Kong is one such example. The imposition of the draconian National Security Law in 2020 marked a turning point in the erosion of the city's autonomy and freedoms. Pro-democracy activists, journalists, and political figures have been arrested, charged, and silenced under the guise of national security, while Beijing tightens its grip on the former British colony. The passage of the Article 23 legislation, which further restricts basic freedoms of speech and assembly, will continue the erosion of the ``one country, two systems'' principle, undermining the aspirations of the people of Hong Kong and threatening the stability and prosperity of the entire region. For this reason, I, along with Congressman Gus Bilirakis, introduced a House Resolution that condemns the promulgation of the new Article 23 legislation and calls on other members of the international community to similarly condemn the process of undermining freedoms in Hong Kong.

While the total number of lives impacted by China's suppression of basic freedoms may never be fully known, I am honored to serve as an advocate for one person who has witnessed firsthand the brutality of the regime. Mr. Ding Jiaxi, a prominent human rights lawyer and democracy advocate was wrongfully imprisoned in 2019 for his peaceful activism and charged for the crime of ``subversion of state power.'' Mr. Ding's courageous efforts to defend the lights of marginalized communities and promote greater government accountability made him a target of the regime's ruthless crackdown on dissent. His arbitrary detention, which included solitary confinement and physical abuse, serves as a stark reminder of the grave risks faced by those who dare to challenge the authoritarian rule of the CCP. Together with the Congressional Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission's Defending Freedoms Project, I am committed to advocating for his release and reunion with his family.

As we remember the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre and honor their memory, we must reaffirm our commitment to the values of democracy, human rights, and freedom. We stand in solidarity with the people of China, Hong Kong, and all those around the world who continue to courageously resist oppression and dream of a better future. Let us continue to pursue a world where freedoms are protected, and people like Mr. Ding Jiaxi, are not wrongfully imprisoned and silenced, but instead honored for their work to improve society. The image of a single protestor who stood in the way of a column of tanks rolling through the streets of Beijing in June 1989 will continue to inspire those who will bravely face brute force for the sake of freedom. In confronting tyranny and injustice, we draw inspiration from the courage and resilience of those who have dared to challenge authoritarian rule. Their struggle is our struggle, and their cause is our cause.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to seek support in renaming a post office in Glendale, California, after Paul Ignatius, an extraordinary individual whose life and legacy embody the very best of our American values. Paul is still with us today, 103 years young, still inspiring future generations.

Paul Ignatius is a name that resonates deeply within the community in my district and far beyond. Born in Glendale in 1920 to Armenian immigrants, Paul dedicated his life to public service. His family was one of the earliest Armenian families to settle in burgeoning Glendale, California, arriving in 1911. Paul's grandfather even built his house on the same street as the post office to be named after his grandson nearly a century later.

From humble beginnings, Paul served his Nation bravely as an ordnance officer during World War II and rose to become the highest ranking Armenian American in the U.S. Government to this day, serving as the 59th U.S. Secretary of the Navy under President Lyndon B. Johnson. This remarkable journey, from the son of immigrants to a high-ranking Presidential appointee, is a path only possible here, a dream that is uniquely American.

Following his distinguished military service, Paul continued to serve the public in various capacities. He graduated from Harvard Business School and began working with the Department of Defense, where he held several key positions in both the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, helping modernize our procurement process.

His tenure as Secretary of the Navy was characterized by significant contributions to the modernization of the Navy and a steadfast dedication to the well-being of our servicemen and -women. His leadership during a challenging era for our Nation left an indelible mark on our naval forces.

Throughout his life, Paul remained true to his values and deeply optimistic about our future. His work ethic, intellect, and integrity earned him the trust and admiration of his colleagues and the communities that he served. Paul likes to say that when he joined the Pentagon, nobody asked him what party he belonged to. Public service was something that went beyond partisan politics and reflected Paul's genuine and deep love of his community and country.

In Glendale, he has been a pillar of the community, a mentor and a source of inspiration for many, especially those in the Armenian community whom he has encouraged to follow him into public service. His commitment to education, civic engagement, and cultural preservation has proudly impacted the Armenian-American community and the broader public. He has worked to promote understanding, tolerance, and unity, reflecting the values that make our community strong and vibrant.

Paul's efforts in cultural preservation and education are particularly noteworthy. He has been instrumental in supporting initiatives that educate future generations about Armenian heritage and history, ensuring that the legacy of resilience and perseverance are not forgotten, cognizant of his own upbringing as one of the first Armenian Americans bridging cultures and starting new ones. His work has helped to create a bridge between the past and the present, fostering a sense of identity and pride in the community.

As a young man, Paul worked as a seasonal clerk at the Glendale Post Office while attending college. His son recalls Paul's stories of madly sorting letters before Christmas. His fitting beginning at the post office makes the renaming of this institution in his honor all the more meaningful. It is a tribute to a man who has come full circle from his early days of hard work and dedication to becoming a distinguished leader and advocate for his community and the country.

Renaming this post office after Paul Ignatius is more than a symbolic gesture; it is a recognition of a life devoted to service, community, and the greater good. It is a small tribute to a man who has exemplified the highest ideals of public service, and his contributions have had a lasting impact on our Nation as it has on Glendale.

Paul Ignatius' name on this post office will serve as a constant reminder of the values he represented throughout his career and to this day: courage, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to the safety, defense, and betterment of America and American society.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Harriet M. Rolnick, who is retiring as Associate Dean of SCALE and Associate Professor of Law at Southwestern Law School. A former civil litigator and federal prosecutor, Ms. Rolnick has dedicated her career to the pursuit of justice and inspired her students to fully investigate the complexities of the law and legal processes.

Ms. Rolnick earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Miami, then spent four years working as a psychiatric social worker for Florida's state welfare department, as well as clinics and hospitals. Choosing to apply her administrative and counseling expertise into a different field, she enrolled in Southwestern Law School and after graduating magna cum laude, she joined the law firm of Adams, Duque, & Hazeltine as a litigation associate.

In 1984, Harriet became an Assistant United States Attorney at the U S Attorney's Office for the Central District of California. Her duties included managing trials before the U.S. District Court, crafting and arguing ninth circuit appeals, conducting grand jury investigations, brokering plea agreements, and supervising federal enforcement agents in the investigation of criminal cases. Her cases involved a myriad

of criminal matters ranging from counterfeit currency, child pornography, and illegal drugs, to complex bank and pension fraud and security fraud. Ms. Rolnick found her job particularly fulfilling, as she was able to handle these intricate criminal cases from the beginning to the end of the appellate process. It was during her fourteen years in the U.S. Attorney's Office, that I was immensely privileged to work alongside Harriet.

Ms. Rolnick joined the Southwestern Law School faculty in 1999, and in 2006 she become Director and in 2014 was named Associate Dean of SCALE, the school's accelerated Juris Doctor program. During her tenure, she remodeled the curriculum, including revising the organization of the program and scheduling, established a SCALE Academic Improvement Program, a new summer session, and implemented a three-year Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration concurrent degree in partnership with the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University.

Dean Harriet M. Rolnick has created an enduring legacy in both law and education, and her commitment and leadership in empowering the next generation of litigators is unparalleled. I ask all Members of Congress to join me in thanking Harriet M. Rolnick for decades of outstanding service and wish her well upon her retirement.

Madam Speaker, today, I honor the life and legacy of my friend and mentor, former California State Senator Alan Sieroty.

A champion of California's environment, arts, and civil rights, Alan paved the way for the creation of the California Coastal Commission so our beautiful coastlines could remain accessible for all.

His passion for the arts led him to establish the California State Summer School for the Arts, training the next generation of artists, filmmakers, and writers to this day.

Alan was also a tireless advocate for disability rights, civil rights, and gave back through his work with numerous nonprofits including connecting unhoused seniors to shelter.

Beyond politics and the arts, Alan was also a lover of jazz. He was a true Renaissance man.

I extend my deepest sympathies to Alan's family, to Michele, and to all who loved him. As we mourn the loss of an incredible public servant, let us celebrate his enduring legacy.

Alan was a model public servant, and I had such admiration and affection for him. May he continue to inspire us all, and may his memory be a blessing.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my congratulations to Dr. Matthew B. Rettig, Medical Director of the Prostate Cancer Program at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles and Chief of Hematology-Oncology at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Greater Los Angeles, on receiving the Department of Veterans Affairs' Office of Clinical Science Research and Development John B. Barnwell Award in recognition of his significant contributions to the field of prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Dr. Rettig began his Veterans Affairs (VA) career as a staff physician in the Division of Hematology-Oncology at the VA Greater Los Angeles Health Care System in 1996. He became a leader within the department, and his unwavering commitment to improving health outcomes for veterans diagnosed with prostate cancer led to the development of the VA Precision Oncology Program Cancer of the Prostate (POPCaP) network. Dr. Rettig is credited for fostering the partnership between the VA and Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF), which has resulted in the PCF committing $50M to support this program and expanding services to over 20 centers across the nation to meet the critical care needs of American veterans with prostate cancer.

Along with his leadership of the Prostate Cancer Program, Dr. Rettig is also a Professor of Medicine and Urology at UCLA where he is training the next generation of clinicians and researchers. Dr. Rettig has dedicated himself to the future of the field, having generously mentored and trained over 31 residents, fellows, post-doctoral scholars, and junior faculty in veteran-centered clinical research, a majority of whom continue to serve the VA to meet the healthcare needs of veterans while also conducting their own independent cutting-edge research in various disciplines. The impact of his work is far-reaching and truly immeasurable.

Dr. Rettig is ranked among the top ten clinical investigators nationally both within and outside of the VA and is a major asset for the VA and the veterans they serve. His expertise and achievements in genitourinary oncology and research are evidenced by invitations to serve on local and national committees and boards including the VA National GU Cancer Working Group Steering Committee, Brentwood Biomedical Research Institute, Greater LA Research & Education Foundation, Department of Defense, and the Prostate Cancer Foundation, among many others. Additionally, he serves on an editorial capacity for 13 scientific and medical journals.

It is with great honor that I congratulate Dr. Rettig upon receiving the Barnwell Award, the highest honor conferred by the VA Clinical Science Research and Development Service, in recognition of outstanding scientific achievements in clinical research. I ask that all Members join me in congratulating Dr. Rettig on his award and his service to our Nation's veterans.

Mr. Speaker, due to events in California, I was unfortunately unable to cast my vote for legislation considered on the House floor today.

Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on roll call No. 177, H.R. 7219--Information Quality Assurance Act; and YEA on roll call No. 178, H.R. 7525--Special District Grant Accessibility Act.

Mr. Speaker, 109 years ago, the Ottoman Empire began a concerted and systemic effort to destroy the Armenian people, Armenians from all walks of life, including writers, doctors, and teachers, were rounded up and brutally murdered, clergy were tortured and burned alive in churches, women and girls were brutalized, raped and killed, sons and daughters witnessed their fathers being murdered, and children and the elderly died of exhaustion and starvation on a forced march to Deir ez-Zor. 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children, entire families, were wiped out in an act of mass premeditated murder.

The facts of the genocide are horrific and undisputed by historians. They were recorded by American diplomats serving in the Ottoman Empire at the time who bore witness in official cables to the annihilation of the Armenian population. The U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire at the time, Henry Morgenthau, described it as a ``campaign of race extermination.'' It was the first genocide of the 20th Century--a term coined by Raphael Lempkin partly in response to this barbarity.

Despite overwhelming and ever-increasing evidence of this methodical mass killing. Turkey has long engaged in a dangerous campaign to deny the genocide and to silence anyone who seeks to speak the truth.

I have sat down with survivors. I have been welcomed into their homes. I have listened to their stories of how their parents, aunts and uncles were murdered, how their property and the lives that their families built were destroyed. I have watched them relive the pain over and over, reopening the wound to keep the history of their families alive.

The United States will no longer stand in dishonorable silence. In 2019, the U.S. House passed my resolution officially recognizing the Armenian Genocide by a near unanimous and bipartisan margin. That same year, the U.S. Senate also passed a resolution affirming the facts of the Armenian Genocide. And in 2021, President Biden finally cast aside decades of shameful silence by our nation to become the first sitting U.S. President to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide.

These historic achievements happened because of a resilient and enduring Armenian community and diaspora, and decades of work. It's a testament to the efforts of thousands of activists, organizations, communities, and faith leaders. It's a victory for human rights and for truth itself, and it's something that we achieved working together.

But we know there remains so much important work to do. These wounds are still open, they have not fully healed and in tragic ways, some grow even larger.

To this day, President Aliyev of Azerbaijan echoes the genocidal language and actions of more than a century ago with the support of Turkey. Beginning on September 27, 2020, and over 44 days, Azerbaijani forces invaded and murdered innocent Armenians in Artsakh and displaced tens of thousands more. They continued to terrorize the people of Artsakh in subsequent military attacks, and by blocking the Lachin corridor, leaving 120,000 ethnic Armenian people without access to food, water, medical supplies and services, gas, and electricity for over 9 months. And then in 2023, the Aliyev regime took full advantage of a people they had systematically starved to ethnically cleanse Artsakh's indigenous Armenian population from their land.

As we mark the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide with pledges of `'never again.'' the democratic and peaceful Armenian people face threats like never before. There is real and growing concern that Aliyev has his eyes set on land beyond Artsakh. To this day, Azerbaijani forces remain present on sovereign Armenian land, in violation of Armenia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Though the United States and international partners have condemned Azerbaijan's aggression and military assault against Armenians, the time for strong statements alone has clearly long passed. Condemnation must be followed by real meaningful consequences. The United States must hold Azerbaijan and its leadership accountable. Crimes against humanity cannot be ignored and cannot go unanswered.

The United States must suspend military assistance to Azerbaijan, impose Global Magnitsky Act sanctions on Azerbaijani officials complicit in war crimes and other gross human rights violations, call for Azerbaijan's release of Armenian prisoners of war, hostages, leaders of Artsakh, and other illegally detained persons, and urge the immediate withdrawal of Azerbaijani forces from the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia. Further, we must provide robust humanitarian assistance to Armenia and the Armenian people, advocate for the right of displaced persons and refugees to return to their homes in Artsakh, with a commitment to safeguarding their individual and collective property rights. Finally. we must also call attention to the destruction and desecration of Armenian religious and cultural sites by Azerbaijan and urge their safeguarding and preservation.

On this solemn anniversary, as we pause to remember the innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide, we also reflect on the resilience of those who survived, and the perseverance of their children and grandchildren, who built new lives in the United States and around the world, speak the beautiful Armenian language, and enrich our nation with the Armenian culture and heritage Armenians refused to let the Genocide define their lives or to limit their future potential. Instead, they showed the world that Armenians could face the future with courage, knowing that they have already overcome the worst atrocities of the past.

Despite the struggles the Armenian people have faced and continue to face, it has not broken their faith, determination, or their will to press on. They have overcome the harshest of trials, and yet, they remain strong and unbowed, in Los Angeles, in Yerevan, and around the world. I will always stand with the Armenian community.