The last time we updated President Barack Obama's promise to recognize the Armenian genocide, we noted that he had not used the word "genocide" in a statement on April 24, 2009, a day of memorial for the event.

Again, it appears Obama is trying to skirt the issue.

On March 5, 2010, the House Foreign Affairs Committee voted 23-22 on a resolution that officially recognizes the 1.5 million deaths that occurred between 1915 and 1923 at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.

Ordinarily, this sort of action would prompt us to move a promise to In the Works.

But according to news reports about the issue, the Obama administration is trying to ensure that the resolution does not go anywhere.

According to the Los Angeles Times: "Panel Chairman Howard L. Berman ... pressed for the vote, even after receiving a call from Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton expressing concern it could 'impede progress on normalization of relations' between Turkey and Armenia, according to an administration spokesman."

And the Associated Press: "A senior Obama administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said there was an understanding with the Democratic leadership in Congress that the resolution would not go to a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives."

And from the same AP report: "'The Obama administration strongly opposes the resolution that was passed by only one vote by the House committee and will work very hard to make sure it does not go to the House floor,' Clinton told reporters in Guatemala City, Guatemala."

The resolution prompted Turkey to call its ambassador to the United States home for consultations. And the country has warned the Obama administration of diplomatic consequences if the resolution moves forward for a House vote.

The resolution could not have come at a worse time for Turkey-U.S. relations. The administration is expected to pressure Turkey to back sanctions against Iran. And Turkey's cooperation in Iraq and Afghanistan is also important, according to news reports.

So, while the resolution has moved forward, it's clearly much to the Obama administration's chagrin. Unless officials change course on their efforts to curtail further votes on the resolution, we'll keep this pledge at Promise Broken.