On the fourth try in a single month, the United States Senate agreed to Senate Resolution 150, recognizing the World War I-era Armenian Genocide, by unanimous consent on Thursday.
The unanimous vote follows the House of Representatives approving House Resolution 296 by a 405-11 vote in late October.
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The move by both houses of Congress underscores the devolving relationship between the United States and Turkey, a NATO ally, following its invasion into Syria and subsequent Russian arms purchases.
Wednesday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced a bill enacting sanctions on Turkey over its arms purchases.
The communications department for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan launched a website to spread pro-Turk propaganda and recast the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians, running from 1915 through 1917, as mutual warfare.
Before Thursday’s vote, three Republican Senators intervened to block the Armenian Genocide recognition resolution – sponsored by Sen. Bob Menendez (D–N.J.) and heavily backed by Sen. Ted Cruz (R–Tex.) from consideration on the floor of the Senate at the request of the Trump administration.
Armenian President Nikol Pashinyan celebrated the passage of the resolution across both houses of the U.S. Congress.
US Senate Resolution 150 is a victory of justice and truth. On behalf of the #Armenia’n people worldwide, I express our profound appreciation to the Senate for this landmark legislation.— Nikol Pashinyan (@NikolPashinyan) December 12, 2019
