Twenty-seven U.S. Representatives—from more than a dozen states—have recently joined H.Res.220 as cosponsors in a new wave of bipartisan backing for genocide prevention legislation that seeks to apply the lessons of the Armenian Genocide in preventing renewed atrocities across the Middle East, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

These most recent additions come in large part as a result of the leadership of Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Congresswoman Jackie Speier and in the wake of more than 80 Congressional meetings—held in district offices across America this past summer—organized by the ANCA Eastern and Western regional offices, dozens of local ANCA chapters, and hundreds of community activists.

“We would like to thank Congresswoman Jackie Speier for her exceptional outreach to her Congressional colleagues in support of H.Res.220, and, of course, to recognize the remarkable work of local ANCA chapters and activists this summer to educate their legislators about this bipartisan genocide prevention legislation,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “We would like, as well, to express our special appreciation to the measure’s lead authors, Representatives David Trott and Adam Schiff, and all those—both on and off Capitol Hill—working to ensure that the lessons of the U.S. response to the Armenian Genocide inform and improve our present-day U.S. genocide prevention policy.”

1.5 million perished during the mass killings and death marches masterminded and perpetrates at the hands of the Young Turk government in the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923.

Some three dozen states, hundreds of local government bodies and international organizations have so far recognized the Armenian Genocide. Turkey denies to this day.