H.R. 2585 and the Future of History Education: What Turkish Americans Need to Know

In April 2025, U.S. Representative Dina Titus (D-NV) introduced H.R. 2585 – The Armenian Genocide Education Act, a national-level bill that proposes allocating $10 million over five years to the Library of Congress to support the development and dissemination of educational materials about the Armenian Genocide (1915–1923).

While the bill has been promoted as a step toward genocide awareness and prevention, it represents a deeply one-sided historical approach. The bill does not reference the broader context of the Ottoman Empire’s collapse, the civil war conditions, the suffering of Muslim populations, or Türkiye’s long-standing objections to the use of the term “genocide” for events of that era.

What H.R. 2585 Includes:

  • $10 million in federal funding over five years

  • Curriculum development focused specifically on the Armenian Genocide

  • Materials to be distributed through public education systems nationwide

  • Training programs for educators

H.R.2585 - Armenian Genocide Education Act 119th Congress (2025-2026)

Why This Matters to Turkish Americans:

  • Erases historical complexity: Ignores the civil war context and mass suffering of Turks, Kurds, and Muslims during the same period.

  • Institutionalizes bias: Once embedded in school curricula, it becomes difficult to challenge or balance later.

  • Politicizes education: Uses taxpayer dollars to fund a narrative that does not reflect academic consensus or legal clarity.

  • Marginalizes Turkish-American voices: Turkish students may be made to feel ashamed of their identity based on incomplete or politicized education.

Current Co-Sponsors of H.R. 2585 (as of May 2025)

🔵 Democrats:

  • Dina Titus (NV) – Primary Sponsor

  • Frank Pallone (NJ)

  • Adam Schiff (CA)

  • Anna Eshoo (CA)

  • Jim Costa (CA)

  • Grace Meng (NY)

  • Brad Sherman (CA)

  • Jan Schakowsky (IL)

  • Jamie Raskin (MD)

  • Katherine Clark (MA)

  • Jake Auchincloss (MA)

  • Chris Pappas (NH)

  • Rashida Tlaib (MI)

  • Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL)

  • Jerry Nadler (NY)

🔴 Republicans:

  • Gus Bilirakis (FL)

  • Nicole Malliotakis (NY)

  • Chris Smith (NJ)

  • Brian Fitzpatrick (PA)

Note: Many of these members represent areas with large Armenian-American or Greek-American populations.

What Turkish Americans Must Do:

  1. Engage with Your Representatives
    Whether your representative co-sponsored this bill or not, write to them. Educate them about the broader history and why balance matters.

  2. Form Local Advocacy Groups
    Each state needs a team monitoring legislation and communicating with school boards and lawmakers.

  3. Develop and Share Counter-Narratives
    Provide historical resources that reflect Ottoman Muslim losses, the civil war context, and Türkiye’s perspective. Offer to speak at schools or community forums.

  4. Support TC-USA PAC
    Help us raise funds to meet with legislators, publish educational material, and advocate nationally.

  5. Work with Other Communities
    Many ethnic and immigrant communities also face similar issues with historical misrepresentation. Build coalitions.

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H.R. 2585 isn’t just about history — it’s about how that history is taught, who gets to define it, and how it shapes the next generation’s understanding of identity, conflict, and justice.

If Turkish Americans don’t speak now, a singular, politicized version of history will become embedded in schools across the country — at the cost of truth, fairness, and future dialogue.

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