U.S. House of Representatives votes down pro-Turkey trade measure

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) welcomed the decision by the U.S. House of Representatives to defeat a watered-down version of a pro-Turkey trade measure, H.R. 2362, that would have, in its non-binding "findings," highlighted Turkey's role in investing in American Native tribal areas.

H.R.2362 - The Indian Tribal Trade and Investment Demonstration Project Act of 2011 was initially introduced by Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) as a means of statutorily limiting foreign trade preferences on Indian tribal lands to only one country, Turkey. Supporters of its adoption, including a broad array of pro-Turkey interests, were forced - in deference to America's international trade obligations and in the face of opposition from the ANCA and other Armenian American and Hellenic American organizations - to expand their measure to allow all World Trade Organization countries similar opportunities.

The amended version of the measure - which was stripped of most, but not all, of its pro-Turkey language, was defeated under the "suspension calendar," typically reserved for non-controversial measures, by a vote of 222 to 160. A two-thirds vote is required for all bills considered under the “suspension calendar.” The final text included pro-Turkey language in its "findings" but not in the operative "resolved" clauses of the measure.

"Officials in Ankara are clearly interested in scoring public relations victories by creating a false impression of solidarity with America's native populations,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. “However, such transparently cynical efforts do not obscure, and must never be allowed to overshadow, Turkey’s own denial of the Armenian Genocide, oppression of the Kurds, mistreatment of Christians, or occupation of Cyprus. If Turkey wants to support indigenous populations, it should begin by ending its violence, discrimination, and denial of justice to Anatolia's own native peoples. If it seeks to foster trade, it should start by lifting its economic blockade of Armenia. Anything less is political posturing by Ankara, at the expense of both America's credibility and - in a very real sense - the prospects for Turkey's own progress on these vital issues.”

Congressional Hellenic and Armenian Caucus leading members, including John Sarbanes (D-MD), Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Congressional Hellenic Caucus Co-Chair Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) spoke forcefully against the measure during House consideration earlier today. Others who prominently opposed the measure included House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Democrat Ed Markey (D-MA), House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Democrat Howard Berman (D-CA), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), Hellenic Caucus Co-Chair Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Elliot Engel (D-NY), Shelley Berkley (D-NV), and Gary Ackerman (D-NY).

Earlier efforts to defeat the measure in the House Natural Resources Committee were led by Representatives Sarbanes, Pallone, Tsongas and John Duncan (R-TN), with the support of Representatives Jim Costa (D-CA), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Jeff Denham (R-CA), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Dale Kildee (D-MI), Raul Labrador (R-ID), Douglas Lamborn (R-CO), Edward Markey, David Rivera (R-FL), Betty Sue Sutton (D-OH) and Niki Tsongas (D-MA).

The measure was opposed by a broad spectrum of Hellenic and Armenian American organizations, including the American Hellenic Educational and Progressive Association (AHEPA), American Hellenic Institute (AHI), American Hellenic Council (AHC), the ANCA and the Armenian Assembly of America, all of which alerted House members about the negative repercussions of passing the controversial pro-Turkey measure.