Ted Deutch praises House recognition of Armenian genocide

Ted Deutch is one of the signers of a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler urging him to withdraw changes to the allowable release of methane by the oil and gas industry.

U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch is praising fellow House members for overwhelmingly approving a resolution that recognizes the killing of more than one million Armenians as a genocide.

The atrocities occurred in the early 1900s toward the end of the Ottoman Empire. The entirety of the Florida congressional delegation approved the measure condemning the actions by the Ottoman Turks, helping the resolution pass by a 405 to 11 margin.

“The Armenian Genocide was one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century. More than 1.5 million Armenian men, women, and children were systematically murdered by the Ottoman Empire,” Deutch said in a statement on Facebook following the vote.

“Unfortunately, in the years since this horrific tragedy, there have been efforts to deny the truth of this staggering crime, including strong efforts by the Turkish government to downplay the systematic execution of Armenians and block official recognition by other countries. For that reason, it is important that the United States officially recognize it, honor the victims and survivors, and encourage people to learn more about it and keep its memory alive.”

U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff of California introduced the resolution.

While activists have pushed America to label the mass killing a “genocide” for some time, the latest move was also seen as a rebuff to Turkey over an ongoing military operation against the Kurds in Syria.

The Turkish government has long pushed back against using the term “genocide” concerning the early 20th century killing of Armenians. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Tuesday’s vote “worthless.” A Turkish foreign minister labeled it “a meaningless political step” and “devoid of any historical or legal basis.”

Ultimately, the House resolution was a symbolic gesture. But the House followed the move with a piece of legislation pushing President Donald Trump to sanction Turkey over its military operations against the Kurds.

It’s unclear whether the U.S. Senate will take up either measure.