Washington briefing: Majority leader cosponsors Senate resolution

by Emil Sanamyan

Published: Thursday November 26, 2009

Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, who heads the majority Democratic Party in the Senate, on November 19 cosponsored Resolution 316, which would affirm the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide.

Mr. Reid has long been a strong supporter of U.S. affirmation of the Genocide. Ahead of the 2010 elections, he is being challenged by Danny Tarkanian, an Armenian-American Republican who recently questioned the extent of Mr. Reid's commitment to Armenian issues.

Mr. Tarkanian's remarks in turn came after Mr. Reid raised concerns on behalf of his constituents over the Obama administration's approach to Armenia-Turkey relations.

According to the Congressional Record, S. Res. 316 introduced last month by Sens. Bob Menendez (D.-N.J.) and John Ensign (R.-Nev.), had already been endorsed by Sens. Jack Reed (D.-R.I.), Sherrod Brown (D.-Ohio), Russell Feingold (D.-Wis.), Diane Feinstein (D.-Calif.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D.-R.I.).

The House of Representatives' version of the measure, H. Res. 252, introduced early this year, currently has the formal support of 136 members.

Overall, the support for both resolutions has declined from where it was two years ago.

As of November 2007, the House version had already passed Foreign Affairs committee and had the formal support of more than 200 members; the Senate version had the support of about one-third of all senators, including the majority leader, Mr. Reid.