Xavier Becerra on Foreign Policy

	Xavier Becerra on Foreign Policy Democratic Representative (CA-31)

The world needs the United States strong and ready

During 24 years of service as a member of Congress, I learned much about our great country and I worked with three different presidents. And, now, as Attorney General, I defend and advocate for the rights of millions of Americans here in California and, by extension, throughout the United States.

Allow me an obvious observation: There is no other country like the United States.

The world needs us strong and ready. The world looks to us as a leader and partner. If America falls, everyone gets hurt.

Source: Democratic Spanish response to the 2019 State of the Union , Feb 5, 2019

Member of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus.

Becerra is a member of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus

The Congressional Human Rights Caucus (CHRC) is a bipartisan group of Members of Congress in the United States House of Representatives that works to raise awareness about and combat human rights abuses throughout the world.

The caucus keeps members and their staff informed of opportunities to help through briefings on human rights topics and letter initiatives.

Source: Congressional Caucus Web site 01-CHRC0 on Jan 8, 2001

Rated +1 by AAI, indicating a mixed Arab/Palestine voting record.

Becerra scores +1 by AAI on Arab-Israeli issues

The Arab American Institute has compiled a Scorecard to catalogue the voting record of the 112th Congress on issues of importance to the Arab American community. For the House, we included 15 items: two bills on the Arab Spring, five bills and one letter on Palestine, two bills on Lebanon, three bills and a letter regarding civil liberties, and two bills on immigration.

H.Res. 88 (+): supporting democratic aspirations in Egypt
H.R. 2643 (+): penalizing the Bahraini government for attacking medical personnel
H.R. 1006 (-): the Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act
H.R. 1501 (-): withholding US contributions until the UN retracts accusations of Israeli war crimes.
H.Res. 268 (-): opposing any unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state
H.R. 2457 (-): prohibiting any US government document from referring to `Palestine`
H.R. 2829 (-): defunding the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. The bill`s 141 co-sponsors receive a (-).
8. (+). Rep. David Price (D-NC) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) issued a letter titled `Support Palestinian Aid and Israel`s Security,` in which they call upon Congress to continue aid to the Palestinian Authority.
H.R. 2215 (*) `to ensure that United States taxpayer dollars are not used to fund terrorist entities in Lebanon
H.R. 996 (+): to raise awareness of the use of cluster munitions where civilians are present
H.R. 140 (-): the `Birthright Citizenship Act, to eliminate `anchor babies` by changing the 14th Amendment.
H. Res. 283 (+): to counter violence and discrimination against Muslim, Arab, Sikh, and South Asian communities
H.R. 1805 (-): authorizing an extension of the USA PATRIOT Act until 2013, and amending the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)
H.R. 1842 (+): the DREAM Act to protect undocumented minors pursuing higher education.
H.R. 1932 (-): the Keep our Communities Safe Act for greater power to detain undocumented immigrants.

Source: AAI website 12-AAI-H on May 2, 2012

Acknowledge the Armenian Genocide of the early 1900s.

Becerra co-sponsored acknowledging the Armenian Genocide of the early 1900s

WHEREAS the Armenian Genocide was conceived and carried out by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923, resulting in the deportation of nearly 2,000,000 Armenians, of whom 1,500,000 men, women, and children were killed, and which succeeded in the elimination of more than 2,500-year presence of Armenians in their historic homeland;
WHEREAS, on May 24, 1915, the Allied Powers issued the joint statement of England, France, and Russia that explicitly charged, for the first time ever, another government of committing `a crime against humanity`;
WHEREAS, despite the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the failure of the domestic and international authorities to punish those responsible for the Armenian Genocide is a reason why similar genocides have recurred and may recur in the future, and that a just resolution will help prevent future genocides:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Senate calls on the President, in the President`s annual message commemorating the Armenian Genocide, to accurately characterize the systematic annihilation of 1,500,000 Armenians as genocide and to recall the proud history of US intervention in opposition to the Armenian Genocide.

Sen. DURBIN: The definition of `genocide` is `the deliberate and systematic extermination of a national, racial, political, or cultural group.` Scholars agree that what the Armenian people suffered in 1915 to 1917 fits the definition of genocide. To date, 19 countries and 37 US states recognize the Armenian Genocide. Genocide is wrong. It is evil. It is evil whether its victims are Armenians, Sudanese, Rwandan Tutsis, Cambodians or European Jews. Not to acknowledge genocide for what it is denigrates the memory of its victims. Recognition of genocide is part of the healing process. Official recognition will reaffirm our tradition of protecting the vulnerable and inspire us to not stand by and watch as genocide occurs in our time. Source: Armenian Genocide Resolution (S.RES.106/H.RES.106) 2007-SR106 on Mar 14, 2007

Acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, as official US policy.

Becerra signed Affirmation of US Record on Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Genocide was conceived and carried out by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923, resulting in the deportation of nearly 2,000,000 Armenians, of whom 1,500,000 men, women, and children w President Woodrow Wilson concurred and chartered some $116,000,000 from 1915 to 1930 to aid Armenian Genocide survivors, including 132,000 orphans who became foster children of the American people.

[Presidential concurrence has been echoed through Presidents Reagan, Clinton, and Bush].

to ensure that U.S. foreign policy reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the U.S. record relating to the Armenian Genocide and the consequences of the failure to realize a just resolution; and
in the President`s annual message commemorating the Armenian Genocide to accurately characterize the systematic and deliberate annihilation of 1.5 million Armenians as genocide, and to recall the proud history of U.S. intervention in opposition to the Armenian Genocide.

Source: H.RES.252 2009-HR252 on Mar 17, 2009