Congressman Schiff Expresses Support for the Withdrawal of Richard Hoagland's Nomination to be the Next Ambassador to Armenia

Press Release

Congressman Schiff Expresses Support for the Withdrawal of Richard Hoagland's Nomination to be the Next Ambassador to Armenia

Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) expressed his support for the White House's withdrawal of the nomination of Richard E. Hoagland's to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Armenia. Mr. Hoagland had been nominated to replace Ambassador John Evans who was pushed to retire from his post by the Bush Administration. Congressman Schiff and many of his Congressional colleagues believe Ambassador Evans was recalled for his comments made in February of 2005 in which he publicly recognized the Armenian Genocide.

"The President was right to withdraw Mr. Hoagland's nomination," Schiff said. "During his confirmation hearings, Mr. Hoagland continued to deny that the massacre of a million and a half Armenians between 1915 and 1923 was genocide, thereby compounding the injury done to the Armenian people and, especially, the few remaining survivors of the first genocide of the Twentieth Century. I hope that the President will soon nominate a new ambassador who will be more forthcoming in discussing the Armenian Genocide"

On March 21, at an Appropriations hearing before the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, Schiff pressed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on her opposition to recognizing the Armenian Genocide carried out by the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923. In his pointed questioning, Schiff repeatedly asked the Secretary of State if she believed that the murder of 1.5 million Armenians could be characterized as anything other than a genocide. The Secretary did not directly respond.

Rep. Schiff was appointed to serve on the House Appropriations Committee in the 110th Congress and is a member of its Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee, the State Department and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, and the Financial Services Subcommittee. He also serves on the Select Intelligence Oversight Panel and the House Judiciary Committee and its Subcommittee on the Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property. He represents California's 29th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Alhambra, Altadena, Burbank, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel, Glendale, Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South Pasadena and Temple City.

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