{"id":10136,"date":"2016-10-18T13:45:29","date_gmt":"2016-10-18T13:45:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/?p=10136"},"modified":"2016-10-18T13:45:29","modified_gmt":"2016-10-18T13:45:29","slug":"anca-spotlight-on-2016-congressional-races-in-the-eastern-u-s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/?p=10136","title":{"rendered":"ANCA: Spotlight on 2016 Congressional Races in the Eastern U.S."},"content":{"rendered":"

(ARMENIAN WEEKLY) Below is a list of the Armenian National Committee of America\u2019s<\/a> (ANCA) key endorsements for the 2016 Congressional races in the Eastern United States. For a full and extensive list of the ANCA\u2019s Congressional grades and endorsements, click here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Senate<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Sen. Marco Rubio<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Sen. Rubio serves as the chairman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and has been a strong supporter of Armenian American priorities during his tenure in the Senate.\u00a0 Sen. Rubio is a cosponsor of S. Res. 140, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and co-signed a letter to President Obama in March 2015 asking him to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.\u00a0 On April 10, 2014, Sen. Rubio voted for passage of S. Res. 410, the Armenian Genocide resolution, in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.<\/p>\n

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A+<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Sen. Mark Kirk<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Sen. Kirk was elected to the Senate in 2010 and occupies the seat once held by President Obama.\u00a0 Prior to his election to the Senate, he served for 10 years in the House of Representatives and co-chaired the Congressional Armenian Caucus for one term.\u00a0 A member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, Sen. Kirk serves on the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs which is responsible for foreign aid allocations to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh (Artsakh\/NKR).\u00a0 During his six years on this subcommittee, Sen. Kirk has been the lead Senator on ensuring that Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh received fair amounts of foreign assistance.\u00a0 Sen. Kirk is the lead sponsor of S. Res. 140, the Armenian Genocide Resolution.<\/p>\n

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. Chris Van Hollen<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Rep. Van Hollen is running for the seat occupied by Sen. Barbara Mikulski who is retiring.\u00a0 Since his election to the House in 2002, Rep. Van Hollen has maintained strong ties with his Armenian American constituents in his suburban Washington, DC congressional district.\u00a0 Rep. Van Hollen is a cosponsor of H. Res. 154, the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution, and in April 2015, co-signed a letter to President Obama asking him to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.\u00a0 In 2016, he co-signed a letter to the chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs of the House Appropriations Committee calling for increased aid to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh.\u00a0 Rep. Van Hollen also co-signed the Royce-Engel letter regarding pro-peace initiatives in Nagorno-Karabagh.<\/p>\n

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Sen. Chuck Schumer<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Sen. Schumer is seeking a fourth term in the Senate, and since his election in 1998, has been an ardent support of the Armenian American community in New York.\u00a0 He is a cosponsor of S. Res. 140, the Armenian Genocide Resolution.\u00a0 Sen. Schumer attends the annual Knights of Vartan commemoration of the Armenian Genocide in Times Square where he calls for an end to denial of the Genocide.<\/p>\n

Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT) \u2013 ANCA Rating: B<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Sen. Pat Leahy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

As a member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, Sen. Leahy serves as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs which is responsible for foreign aid allocations to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh.\u00a0 He is a champion of de-mining initiatives and his support for this program has allowed for continued funding for de-mining in Nagorno-Karabagh by The HALO Trust.\u00a0 In August 2012, he met with constituent and New York Times best-selling author Chris Bohjalian who presented the senator with a copy of his epic on the Armenian Genocide, \u201cThe Sandcastle Girls.\u201d<\/p>\n

Russ Feingold (D-WI)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Russ Feingold<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

In a rematch of their 2010 race, former senator Russ Feingold seeks to reclaim the seat he lost to Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI).\u00a0 During his three terms in the Senate between 1992 and 2010, Sen. Feingold consistently supported issues of concern to the Armenian American community.\u00a0 As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in July 2010, Sen. Feingold submitted written questions to Matthew Bryza, the nominee to be ambassador to Azerbaijan, regarding Armenian cultural sites, press freedom, and freedom of speech in Azerbaijan.\u00a0 Sen. Feingold consistently cosponsored Armenian Genocide legislation.<\/p>\n

House of Representatives<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Rep. Robert Dold (R-IL-10) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A+<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. Robert Dold<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The 2016 election in Illinois\u2019 10th<\/sup> district is a rematch of the 2012 and 2014 races, with Brad Schneider very narrowly defeating first term Congressman Robert Dold in 2012 and Rep. Dold reclaiming the seat in 2014. During the 114th Congress, Rep. Dold has served as one of the Republican co-chairs of the Congressional Armenian Caucus.\u00a0 In March 2015, he introduced H. Res. 154, the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution.\u00a0 He has spoken passionately at the annual Armenian Genocide Observance on Capitol Hill.\u00a0 In April 2015, he co-signed a letter to President Obama asking him to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.\u00a0 He spearheaded the March 2015 and March 2016 letters to the chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs of the House Appropriations Committee calling for increased aid to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh.\u00a0 Rep. Dold also co-signed the Royce-Engel regarding pro-peace initiatives in Nagorno-Karabagh and the Royce-Sherman letter calling for the implementation of the proposals.<\/p>\n

Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI-1) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A+<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. David Cicilline<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

First elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010, Rep. Cicilline has championed a broad range of Armenian American concerns.\u00a0 He is a cosponsor of H. Res. 154, the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution, and has also been an outspoken advocate for self-determination for the people of Nagorno-Karabagh and has attended several commemorative events regarding both issues on Capitol Hill.\u00a0 Since his years as Mayor of Providence, he has fostered close ties with Providence Armenian community.\u00a0 In April 2015, he co-signed a letter to President Obama asking him to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.\u00a0 In March 2015 and March 2016, he co-signed letters to the chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs of the House Appropriations Committee calling for increased aid to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh.\u00a0 Rep. Cicilline also co-signed the Royce-Engel letter regarding pro-peace initiatives in Nagorno-Karabagh and the Royce-Sherman letter calling for the implementation of the proposals.\u00a0 In April, 2014, Rep. Cicilline traveled to Armenia as part of a House Foreign Affairs Committee CODEL, visiting the Armenian Genocide memorial.<\/p>\n

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ-6) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A+<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. Frank Pallone<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

As founder and a Democratic Co-Chair of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, Rep. Pallone has been a leading voice on Armenian American issues in Congress since 1988.\u00a0 He has been a consistent cosponsor of Armenian Genocide legislation.\u00a0 Working with his colleagues, he has initiated calls for expanded U.S. assistance to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh and spoken out about the plight of Armenians and other Christians in the Middle East.\u00a0 He has been a perennial participant at Armenian American community events, including the Armenian Genocide Observance at Times Square.\u00a0 In 2015, he joined with the local Armenian American community in Monmouth County for the opening of an Armenian Genocide exhibit on the campus of Brookdale Community College.\u00a0 On April 24, 2015, Rep. Pallone was in Armenia for the centennial commemorative events as part of the official U.S. delegation.\u00a0 In April 2015, he co-signed a letter to President Obama asking him to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.\u00a0\u00a0 He spearheaded the March 2015 and March 2016 letters to the chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs of the House Appropriations Committee calling for increased aid to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh.\u00a0 Rep. Pallone also co-signed the Royce-Engel letter regarding pro-peace initiatives in Nagorno-Karabagh and the Royce-Sherman letter calling for the implementation of the proposals.<\/p>\n

Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA-5) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A+<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. Katherine Clark<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Elected in November 2013 to fill the vacancy created by Rep. Ed Markey\u2019s election to the Senate, Rep. Clark has forged strong bonds with the local Armenian American community \u2013 the largest in the Eastern United States.\u00a0 Rep. Clark is a cosponsor of H. Res. 154, the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution, and in April 2015, co-signed a letter to President Obama asking him to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.\u00a0\u00a0 In 2015 and 2016, she issued statements for the Congressional Record on the 1988 \u2013 1990 pogroms against Armenians in Sumgait and Baku, and also signed both letters to the chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs of the House Appropriations Committee calling for increased aid to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh.\u00a0 Rep. Clark also co-signed the Royce-Engel letter regarding pro-peace initiatives in Nagorno-Karabagh and the Royce-Sherman letter asking for the implementation of the proposals.<\/p>\n

Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA-2) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A+<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. Jim McGovern<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Rep. McGovern serves as the Democratic Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and has been a principled voice for truth regarding Congressional reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide, among the broad array of international human rights concerns he champions.\u00a0 In September 2016, he chaired a Commission hearing on human rights violations in Azerbaijan.\u00a0 Rep. McGovern is a cosponsor of H. Res. 154, the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution, and in April 2015, co-signed a letter to President Obama asking him to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.\u00a0 In 2015 and 2016, he signed both letters to the chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs of the House Appropriations Committee calling for increased aid to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh.\u00a0 Rep. McGovern also co-signed the Royce-Engel letter regarding pro-peace initiatives in Nagorno-Karabagh and the Royce-Sherman letter asking for the implementation of the proposals.\u00a0 Rep. McGovern represents one of the oldest Armenian American communities, Worcester, MA, which is the home of the first Armenian Church in the United States.<\/p>\n

Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD-3) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A+<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. John Sarbanes<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Like his father before him in the Senate, Rep. Sarbanes has been a consistent and outspoken leader on Armenian and Hellenic American issues, advocating for recognition of the Armenian Genocide.\u00a0 In April 2015, Rep. Sarbanes spoke eloquently on the House floor in honor of the centennial commemorations stating, \u201cthis year, I will resist the temptation to mark the anniversary of the Armenian genocide with anger and frustration at the lack of official recognition from those who should know better; rather, I will draw strength from the conviction that the arc of the moral universe will ultimately bend toward justice, toward the eternal memory of those who perished in this undeniable tragedy of history.\u201d\u00a0 Rep. Sarbanes is a cosponsor of H. Res. 154, the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution, and in April 2015, co-signed a letter to President Obama asking him to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.\u00a0 In 2015 and 2016, he signed both letters to the chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs of the House Appropriations Committee calling for increased aid to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh.\u00a0 Rep. Sarbanes also co-signed the Royce-Engel letter regarding pro-peace initiatives in Nagorno-Karabagh and the Royce-Sherman letter asking for the implementation of the proposals.<\/p>\n

Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A+<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. Gus Bilirakis<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

As the Republican Co-Chair of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus, Rep. Bilirakis is a cosponsor of H. Res. 154, the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution, and in April 2015, co-signed a letter to President Obama asking him to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.\u00a0 In 2016, he co-signed a letter to the chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs of the House Appropriations Committee calling for increased aid to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh.\u00a0 Rep. Bilirakis also co-signed the Royce-Engel letter regarding pro-peace initiatives in Nagorno-Karabagh and the Royce-Sherman letter asking for the implementation of the proposals.\u00a0 He has been a passionate voice for justice at the annual Capitol Hill commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.\u00a0 In April 2016, Rep. Bilirakis joined calls for suspending aid to Azerbaijan in light of President Aliyev\u2019s brutal onslaught on Nagorno-Karabagh.<\/p>\n

Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI-2) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A+<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. Jim Langevin<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Rep. Langevin, along with the entire Rhode Island congressional delegation, has been a very strong supporter of issues of concern to the Armenian American community.\u00a0 He has cosponsored H. Res. 154, the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution.\u00a0 In April 2015, he co-signed a letter to President Obama asking him to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.\u00a0 In 2015 and 2016, he signed both letters to the chair and ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs calling for increased aid to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh.\u00a0 Rep. Langevin also co-signed the Royce-Engel letter regarding pro-peace initiatives in Nagorno-Karabagh and the Royce-Sherman letter asking for the implementation of the proposals.\u00a0 In April 2016, Rep. Langevin called Azerbaijan\u2019s violation of the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabagh \u201creckless.\u201d\u00a0 He enjoys close ties with the Rhode Island Armenian community, often attending local events.<\/p>\n

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ-4) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A+<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. Chris Smith<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

As chair of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission) and a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Smith is a leading Republican cosponsor of H. Res. 154, the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution.\u00a0 Rep. Smith has been outspoken in condemning Armenian Genocide denial, chairing a Helsinki Commission hearing on the Armenian Genocide on April 23, 2015 with testimony provided by ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian and ANC of NJ chairwoman Karine Shnorhokian.\u00a0 In 2015, he joined with the local Armenian American community in Monmouth County for the opening of an Armenian Genocide exhibit on the campus of Brookdale Community College, and in April 2015, submitted a statement for the Congressional Record regarding genocide denial and co-signed a letter to President Obama asking him to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.\u00a0 In October 2015, Rep. Smith co-signed the Royce-Engel letter regarding pro-peace initiatives in Nagorno-Karabagh.<\/p>\n

Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY-16) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A+<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. Eliot Engel<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

As the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Engel has been at the forefront of special issues of concern to the Armenian American community, particularly for the self-determination of the people of Nagorno-Karabagh.\u00a0 He joined with Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) of the House Foreign Affairs Committee to spearhead a letter to Amb. James Warlick, cosigned by 85 House colleagues, offering three common sense proposals for Artsakh peace.\u00a0 In March 2016, he co-signed the Royce-Sherman letter asking for the implementation of the proposals.\u00a0 He is a cosponsor of H. Res. 154, the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution, and has been a consistent participant at annual Armenian Genocide Observances on Capitol Hill.<\/p>\n

Rep. Niki Tsongas (D-MA-3) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A+<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. Niki Tsongas<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Rep. Tsongas has cosponsored H. Res. 154, the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution, and in April 2015, she co-signed a letter to President Obama asking him to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.\u00a0 Rep. Tsongas co-signed the Royce-Engel letter regarding pro-peace initiatives in Nagorno-Karabagh and the Royce-Sherman letter asking for the implementation of the proposals.\u00a0\u00a0 In April 2015, she offered remarks on the House floor dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.\u00a0 Rep. Tsongas has forged strong ties with her Armenian American constituents in the Merrimack Valley, and has attended the annual Capitol Hill Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.<\/p>\n

Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ-5) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. Scott Garrett<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Rep. Garrett has cosponsored H. Res. 154, the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution, and maintains a robust relationship with the Northern New Jersey Armenian American community.\u00a0 He regularly submits statements to the Congressional Record on the Armenian Genocide and has attended the Capitol Hill Commemoration condemning this crime.\u00a0 Rep. Garrett co-signed the Royce-Engel letter regarding pro-peace initiatives in Nagorno-Karabagh and the Royce-Sherman letter asking for the implementation of the proposals.\u00a0 In September 2016, he submitted a statement to the Congressional Record on the 25th anniversary of Armenia\u2019s independence.<\/p>\n

Rep. Dave Trott (R-MI-11) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A+<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. Dave Trott<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Serving his first term in the House of Representatives, Rep. Trott represents the largest number of Armenian Americans in the state of Michigan.\u00a0 On April 24, 2015, Rep. Trott was in Armenia for the centennial commemorative events as part of the official U.S. delegation.\u00a0 In April 2015, he co-signed a letter to President Obama asking him to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.\u00a0 Rep. Trott also co-signed the Royce-Engel letter regarding pro-peace initiatives in Nagorno-Karabagh and the Royce-Sherman letter asking for the implementation of the proposals.\u00a0 Rep. Trott serves as the republican vice-chair of the Congressional Armenian Caucus.<\/p>\n

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. Jan Schakowsky<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Rep. Schakowsky has cosponsored H. Res. 154, the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution.\u00a0 In April 2015, she co-signed a letter to President Obama asking him to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.\u00a0 In 2015 and 2016, she co-signed both letters to the chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs of the House Appropriations Committee calling for increased aid to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh.\u00a0 Rep. Schakowsky also co-signed the Royce-Engel letter regarding pro-peace initiatives in Nagorno-Karabagh and the Royce-Sherman letter asking for the implementation of the proposals.<\/p>\n

Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-NY-4) \u2013 ANCA Rating: B<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. Kathleen Rice<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

A first term member of the House, Rep. Rice represents Nassau County.\u00a0 Rep. Rice is a member of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, cosponsor of H. Res. 154, the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution, and co-signed the Royce-Engel letter regarding pro-peace initiatives in Nagorno-Karabagh.<\/p>\n

Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY-20) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. Paul Tonko<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

First elected in 2008, Rep. Tonko has developed strong ties with the local Armenian American community in upstate New York.\u00a0 Rep. Tonko is a cosponsor of H. Res. 154, the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution, and in April 2015, co-signed a letter to President Obama asking him to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.\u00a0 Rep. Tonko also co-signed the Royce-Engel letter regarding pro-peace initiatives in Nagorno-Karabagh and the Royce-Sherman letter asking for the implementation of the proposals.<\/p>\n

Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY-3) \u2013 ANCA Rating: B-<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. John Yarmuth<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Rep. Yarmuth is a cosponsor of H. Res. 154, the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution and has forged ties with the Kentucky Armenian community in his district.<\/p>\n

Rep. Bettie McCollum (D-MN-4) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. Bettie McCollum<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Rep. McCollum is a cosponsor of H. Res. 154, the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution, and in April 2015, co-signed a letter to President Obama asking him to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.\u00a0 Rep. McCollum also co-signed the Royce-Engel regarding pro-peace initiatives in Nagorno-Karabagh and the Royce-Sherman letter asking for the implementation of the proposals.\u00a0 In 2015 and 2016, she submitted statements for the Congressional Record on the Armenian Genocide.<\/p>\n

Rep. Dave Brat (R-VA-7) \u2013 ANCA Rating: A+<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. Dave Brat<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Serving his first term in the House, Rep. Brat has developed strong relations with the Armenian American community of Richmond.\u00a0 Rep. Brat is a cosponsor of H. Res. 154, the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution, and in April 2015, co-signed a letter to President Obama asking him to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.\u00a0 Rep. Brat also co-signed the Royce-Engel letter regarding pro-peace initiatives in Nagorno-Karabagh.\u00a0 In 2015 and 2016, he participated in the Capitol Hill commemorations of the Armenian Genocide.<\/p>\n

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA-8) \u2013 ANCA Rating: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Rep. Don Beyer<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Serving his first term in the House, Rep. Beyer co-signed the Royce-Engel letter regarding pro-peace initiatives in Nagorno-Karabagh and the Royce-Sherman letter asking for the implementation of the proposals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(ARMENIAN WEEKLY) Below is a list of the Armenian National Committee of America\u2019s (ANCA) key endorsements for the 2016 Congressional races in the Eastern United States. For a full and extensive list of the ANCA\u2019s Congressional grades and endorsements, click here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10137,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[115],"tags":[126],"class_list":["post-10136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-anca"],"yoast_head":"\nANCA: Spotlight on 2016 Congressional Races in the Eastern U.S. - Armenian National Committee - International\u2014 \u0540\u0561\u0575 \u0534\u0561\u057f\u056b \u053f\u0565\u0576\u057f\u0580\u0578\u0576\u0561\u056f\u0561\u0576 \u053d\u0578\u0580\u0570\u0578\u0582\u0580\u0564<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/?p=10136\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"ANCA: Spotlight on 2016 Congressional Races in the Eastern U.S. - Armenian National Committee - International\u2014 \u0540\u0561\u0575 \u0534\u0561\u057f\u056b \u053f\u0565\u0576\u057f\u0580\u0578\u0576\u0561\u056f\u0561\u0576 \u053d\u0578\u0580\u0570\u0578\u0582\u0580\u0564\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"(ARMENIAN WEEKLY) Below is a list of the Armenian National Committee of America\u2019s (ANCA) key endorsements for the 2016 Congressional races in the Eastern United States. For a full and extensive list of the ANCA\u2019s Congressional grades and endorsements, click here.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/?p=10136\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Armenian National Committee - International\u2014 \u0540\u0561\u0575 \u0534\u0561\u057f\u056b \u053f\u0565\u0576\u057f\u0580\u0578\u0576\u0561\u056f\u0561\u0576 \u053d\u0578\u0580\u0570\u0578\u0582\u0580\u0564\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ArmenianNationalCommitteeInternational\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-10-18T13:45:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/ANCA-2016-election-ER-endorsements.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"342\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@anc_intl\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@anc_intl\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"16 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ancnews.info\\\/?p=10136#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ancnews.info\\\/?p=10136\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ancnews.info\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c14ef278e0df508260e67353fe1b7aa0\"},\"headline\":\"ANCA: Spotlight on 2016 Congressional Races in the Eastern U.S.\",\"datePublished\":\"2016-10-18T13:45:29+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ancnews.info\\\/?p=10136\"},\"wordCount\":3145,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ancnews.info\\\/?p=10136#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ancnews.info\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2016\\\/10\\\/ANCA-2016-election-ER-endorsements.png\",\"keywords\":[\"ANCA\"],\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ancnews.info\\\/?p=10136\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ancnews.info\\\/?p=10136\",\"name\":\"ANCA: Spotlight on 2016 Congressional Races in the Eastern U.S. - Armenian National Committee - International\u2014 \u0540\u0561\u0575 \u0534\u0561\u057f\u056b \u053f\u0565\u0576\u057f\u0580\u0578\u0576\u0561\u056f\u0561\u0576 \u053d\u0578\u0580\u0570\u0578\u0582\u0580\u0564\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ancnews.info\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ancnews.info\\\/?p=10136#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ancnews.info\\\/?p=10136#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ancnews.info\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2016\\\/10\\\/ANCA-2016-election-ER-endorsements.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2016-10-18T13:45:29+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ancnews.info\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c14ef278e0df508260e67353fe1b7aa0\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ancnews.info\\\/?p=10136#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ancnews.info\\\/?p=10136\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ancnews.info\\\/?p=10136#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ancnews.info\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2016\\\/10\\\/ANCA-2016-election-ER-endorsements.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ancnews.info\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2016\\\/10\\\/ANCA-2016-election-ER-endorsements.png\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":342},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ancnews.info\\\/?p=10136#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ancnews.info\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"ANCA: Spotlight on 2016 Congressional Races in the Eastern U.S.\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ancnews.info\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ancnews.info\\\/\",\"name\":\"Armenian National Committee - International\u2014 \u0540\u0561\u0575 \u0534\u0561\u057f\u056b \u053f\u0565\u0576\u057f\u0580\u0578\u0576\u0561\u056f\u0561\u0576 \u053d\u0578\u0580\u0570\u0578\u0582\u0580\u0564\",\"description\":\"All the ANC News \\\/ \u0540\u0561\u0575 \u0534\u0561\u057f\u056b \u056f\u0561\u057c\u0578\u0575\u0581\u0576\u0565\u0580\u0578\u0582 \u0562\u0578\u056c\u0578\u0580 \u056c\u0578\u0582\u0580\u0565\u0580\u0568\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ancnews.info\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ancnews.info\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c14ef278e0df508260e67353fe1b7aa0\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/hay.digipanda.ru\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ancnews.info\\\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"ANCA: Spotlight on 2016 Congressional Races in the Eastern U.S. - Armenian National Committee - International\u2014 \u0540\u0561\u0575 \u0534\u0561\u057f\u056b \u053f\u0565\u0576\u057f\u0580\u0578\u0576\u0561\u056f\u0561\u0576 \u053d\u0578\u0580\u0570\u0578\u0582\u0580\u0564","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/?p=10136","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"ANCA: Spotlight on 2016 Congressional Races in the Eastern U.S. - Armenian National Committee - International\u2014 \u0540\u0561\u0575 \u0534\u0561\u057f\u056b \u053f\u0565\u0576\u057f\u0580\u0578\u0576\u0561\u056f\u0561\u0576 \u053d\u0578\u0580\u0570\u0578\u0582\u0580\u0564","og_description":"(ARMENIAN WEEKLY) Below is a list of the Armenian National Committee of America\u2019s (ANCA) key endorsements for the 2016 Congressional races in the Eastern United States. For a full and extensive list of the ANCA\u2019s Congressional grades and endorsements, click here.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/?p=10136","og_site_name":"Armenian National Committee - International\u2014 \u0540\u0561\u0575 \u0534\u0561\u057f\u056b \u053f\u0565\u0576\u057f\u0580\u0578\u0576\u0561\u056f\u0561\u0576 \u053d\u0578\u0580\u0570\u0578\u0582\u0580\u0564","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ArmenianNationalCommitteeInternational","article_published_time":"2016-10-18T13:45:29+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":342,"url":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/ANCA-2016-election-ER-endorsements.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@anc_intl","twitter_site":"@anc_intl","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"16 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/?p=10136#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/?p=10136"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/#\/schema\/person\/c14ef278e0df508260e67353fe1b7aa0"},"headline":"ANCA: Spotlight on 2016 Congressional Races in the Eastern U.S.","datePublished":"2016-10-18T13:45:29+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/?p=10136"},"wordCount":3145,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/?p=10136#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/ANCA-2016-election-ER-endorsements.png","keywords":["ANCA"],"articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/?p=10136","url":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/?p=10136","name":"ANCA: Spotlight on 2016 Congressional Races in the Eastern U.S. - Armenian National Committee - International\u2014 \u0540\u0561\u0575 \u0534\u0561\u057f\u056b \u053f\u0565\u0576\u057f\u0580\u0578\u0576\u0561\u056f\u0561\u0576 \u053d\u0578\u0580\u0570\u0578\u0582\u0580\u0564","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/?p=10136#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/?p=10136#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/ANCA-2016-election-ER-endorsements.png","datePublished":"2016-10-18T13:45:29+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/#\/schema\/person\/c14ef278e0df508260e67353fe1b7aa0"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/?p=10136#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/?p=10136"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/?p=10136#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/ANCA-2016-election-ER-endorsements.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/ANCA-2016-election-ER-endorsements.png","width":1024,"height":342},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/?p=10136#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"ANCA: Spotlight on 2016 Congressional Races in the Eastern U.S."}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/","name":"Armenian National Committee - International\u2014 \u0540\u0561\u0575 \u0534\u0561\u057f\u056b \u053f\u0565\u0576\u057f\u0580\u0578\u0576\u0561\u056f\u0561\u0576 \u053d\u0578\u0580\u0570\u0578\u0582\u0580\u0564","description":"All the ANC News \/ \u0540\u0561\u0575 \u0534\u0561\u057f\u056b \u056f\u0561\u057c\u0578\u0575\u0581\u0576\u0565\u0580\u0578\u0582 \u0562\u0578\u056c\u0578\u0580 \u056c\u0578\u0582\u0580\u0565\u0580\u0568","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.ancnews.info\/#\/schema\/person\/c14ef278e0df508260e67353fe1b7aa0","name":"admin","sameAs":["http:\/\/hay.digipanda.ru"],"url":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10136","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10136"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10136\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10137"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}