Dear Editor:

Armenian lobbying groups in Washington should seriously consider hiring -- if not full time, then part time -- former U.S. Senator Spencer Abraham (R-MI, who led the effort to maintain Section 907 in 1999), former U.S. Rep. John Edward Porter (R-IL, former co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues and human rights activist) and Bill McCollum (R-FL, who championed Karabagh's independence last year) for lobbying purposes on the Hill, in addition to lobbying a highly probable Bush Administration.

The fact that all three gentlemen are Republican legislators is no coincidence. Armenian-Americans need to establish a closer relationship with extant Republican Senators and Congressmen, as well as with a highly probable Bush Administration. These efforts should be taken especially to offset the influence of former Rep. Livingston and Solomon on the Republican Party when the Armenian-American community's most fundamental issues are at stake. The service of former Republican representative Susan Molinari was a positive example of the Armenian lobby "putting its money where its mouth is," thereby putting pressure on Congressmen from within and not just from the outside.

Let's make an effort to find a few wealthy Armenian-Americans -- or utilize the funds of the recently established ArmenPac in an effective manner -- in order to bankroll potential lobbying efforts of our former friends in Congress -- Abraham, McCollum, Porter -- who may end up on K Street. Let's get to them before the oil lobby and Livingston, Inc. beat us to them.

Mihran Toumajan
Washington, DC