; Whereas the Government of the Republic of Turkey has continued its international campaign of Armenian Genocide denial, maintained a blockade of Armenia, and continues to pressure the small but growing Turkish civil society movement for acknowledging the Armenian Genocide; Whereas, in April 2011, the month of remembrance of the Armenian Genocide, the Government of the Republic of Turkey demolished a 100-foot-high statue in the city of Kars which was erected to promote reconciliation with Armenia; Whereas, on April 22, 2016, on the occasion of Armenian Remembrance Day, President Barack Obama referred to the events of April 1915 as the first mass atrocity of the 20th Century and further called for a full, frank, and just acknowledgment of the facts ; Whereas the German Bundestag in June 2016, and Danish Parliament, in January 2017, passed Armenian Genocide resolutions, thereby joining a growing list of legislatures from a wide number of countries who recognize the Armenian Genocide as such; Whereas the denial of the Armenian Genocide by the Government of the Republic of Turkey has prevented the meaningful advancement of a constructive political, economic, and security relationship between Armenia and Turkey; and Whereas the teaching, recognition, and commemoration of acts of genocide and other crimes against humanity is essential to preventing the reoccurrence of similar atrocities: Now, therefore, be it