April 25, 1994

RESOLUTION CHAPTER 24
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE APRIL 25, 1994
ADOPTED IN SENATE APRIL 21, 1994
ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 21, 1994

INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Costa

APRIL 18, 1994

Assembly Joint Resolution No. 84 Relative to a National Day of Remembrance.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AJR 84, Costa. National Day of Remembrance. This measure would memorialize the President and Congress of the United States to designate April 24 as "National Day of Remembrance" and would request the President of the United States to issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe that day, as described.

WHEREAS, The Armenians, among us, have contributed to the progress and betterment of life through agriculture, commerce, teaching, the professions, churches, and community and worldwide organizations; and

WHEREAS, The United States of America has repeatedly gone on record in support of human rights around the world; and

WHEREAS, It is well documented that approximately 1,500,000 Armenians were massacred in Turkey during the years 1915 to 1918, although this genocide has been consistently denied by the Turkish government; and

WHEREAS, By their own resolute Christian faith and will to survive and live again, and the generosity of many in the United States of America resulting in relief operations, a fraction of the survivors were rescued and subsequently immigrated to this country; and

WHEREAS, The Armenians in some other countries must continue to endure daily acts of oppression, such as denial of their basic human rights, confiscation of their churches and schools, and punishment for speaking their native language openly; and

WHEREAS, April 24, 1915, is the date historians have marked as the beginning of the massacre and consequently this day should be a day of reflection by all Armenians and other Americans; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of California respectfully memorializes the President and the Congress of the United States to designate April 24 as "National Day of Remembrance" and requests the President of the United States to issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe that day as a day of remembrance for all the victims of genocide, especially those of Armenian ancestry who succumbed to the genocide perpetrated in 1915, and in whose memory this date is commemorated by all Armenians and their friends throughout the world; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.

Search the web site of the California state legislature for measures on the Armenian Genocide. Select the time period in the "Session" box, type "Armenian Genocide" in the "Author(s) and/or Keyword(s)"