Congress passed a bipartisan bill formally recognizing the Armenian genocide Tuesday, thanks in part to Kim Kardashian.
The reality TV star and entrepreneur called on Congress to take action Tuesday, tweeting, “This is personal for me, and millions of Armenians who descended from genocide survivors. Call Congress and tell them it’s time to act!”
Today, the House of Representatives is voting on H.RES. 296 which would recognize the #ArmenianGenocide. This is personal for me, and millions of Armenians who descended from genocide survivors. Call Congress and tell them it’s time to act! https://t.co/SymQZNYPg1
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) October 29, 2019
The House passed the resolution later that day 405-11, Page Six reported.
The Turkish government disputes that the genocide, in which 1.5 million Armenians were slaughtered during the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923, took place. Turkey has long thwarted US attempts to formally recognize the tragedy. The House previously came close to passing bills in 2007 and 2009, but the vote was stalled in order to avoid damaging US relations with Turkey, the New York Times reported.
“We cannot pick and choose which crimes against humanity are convenient to speak about,” said Rep. Adam Schiff, who sponsored the bill. “We cannot cloak our support for human rights in euphemisms. We cannot be cowed into silence by a foreign power.”
Turkey issued a statement earlier this month warning against the vote, the Wall Street Journal reported.
“Allegations with regard to the events of 1915 do not rest on legal and historical facts,” the Turkish embassy reportedly said. “Turkey opposes all legislative steps and other official acts that try to render judgment on its history. This issue should be left to the historians.”
Kardashian West’s activism is nothing new for the star, who has become a noted prison reform advocate in recent years. Back in 2018, Kardashian West, who is pursuing a career in law, met with President Trump in the Oval Office to discuss criminal justice reform.
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