[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2090 Introduced in House (IH)]
105th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2090
Ordering the preparation of a Government report detailing injustices
suffered by Italian Americans during World War II, and a formal
acknowledgment of such injustices by the President.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 26, 1997
Mr. Lazio of New York (for himself, Mr. Engel, Mrs. Morella, Mr.
Pascrell, Mr. King, Mr. Miller of California, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Pallone,
Mrs. Kelly, Mr. Mascara, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Kennedy of Rhode
Island, Mr. Manton, Mrs. McCarthy of New York, and Mr. McGovern)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
Ordering the preparation of a Government report detailing injustices
suffered by Italian Americans during World War II, and a formal
acknowledgment of such injustices by the President.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Wartime Violation of Italian
American Civil Liberties Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The freedom of more than 600,000 Italian-born
immigrants in the United States and their families was
restricted during World War II by Government measures that
branded them ``enemy aliens'' and included carrying
identification cards, travel restrictions, and seizure of
personal property.
(2) During World War II more than 10,000 Italian Americans
living on the West Coast were forced to leave their homes and
prohibited from entering coastal zones. More than 50,000 were
subjected to curfews.
(3) During World War II thousands of Italian American
immigrants were arrested, and hundreds were interned in
military camps.
(4) Hundreds of thousands of Italian Americans performed
exemplary service and thousands sacrificed their lives in
defense of the United States.
(5) At the time, Italians were the largest foreign-born
group in the United States, and today are the fifth largest
immigrant group in the United States, numbering approximately
23,000,000.
(6) The impact of the wartime experience was devastating to
Italian American communities in the United States, and its
effects are still being felt.
(7) A deliberate policy kept these measures from the public
during the war. Even 50 years later much information is still
classified, the full story remains unknown to the public, and
it has never been acknowledged in any official capacity by the
United States Government.
(8) This story needs to be told in order to acknowledge
that these events happened, to remember those whose lives were
unjustly disrupted and whose freedoms were violated, to help
repair the damage to the Italian American community, and to
discourage the occurrence of similar injustices and violations
of civil liberties in the future.
(9) Federal agencies, including the Department of Education
and the National Endowment for the Humanities, should support
projects such as--
(A) conferences, seminars, and lectures to heighten
awareness of this unfortunate chapter in our Nation's
history;
(B) the refurbishment of and payment of all
expenses associated with the traveling exhibit ``Una
Storia Segreta'', to be exhibited at major cultural and
educational institutions throughout the United States;
and
(C) documentaries to allow this issue to be
presented to the American public to raise their
awareness.
(10) An independent, volunteer advisory committee should be
established comprised of representatives of Italian American
organizations, historians, and other interested individuals to
assist in the compilation, research, and dissemination of
information concerning the treatment of Italian Americans.
(11) After completion of the report required by this Act,
financial support should be provided for the education of the
American public through the production of a documentary film
suited for public broadcast.
SEC. 3. REPORT.
The Inspector General of the Department of Justice shall conduct a
comprehensive review of the treatment by the United States Government
of Italian Americans during World War II, and within 12 months of the
date of enactment of this Act shall submit to the Congress a report
that documents the findings of such review. The report shall cover the
period between September 1, 1939, and December 31, 1945, and shall
include the following:
(1) The names of all Italian Americans who were taken into
custody in the initial roundup following the attack on Pearl
Harbor, and prior to the United States declaration of war
against Italy.
(2) The names of all Italian Americans who were interned or
taken into custody.
(3) The locations where Italian Americans were interned.
(4) The names of all Italian Americans who were ordered to
move out of designated areas under the United States Army's
``Individual Exclusion Program''.
(5) The names of all Italian Americans who were arrested
for curfew, contraband, or other violations under the authority
of Executive Order 9066.
(6) Documentation of FBI raids on the homes of Italian
Americans and an explanation of the authority under which each
such action was taken.
(7) A list of ports from which Italian American fishermen
were restricted.
(8) The names of Italian American fishermen who were unable
to pursue their livelihoods.
(9) The names of Italian Americans whose boats were
confiscated.
(10) A list of Italian American railroad workers who were
prevented from working in prohibited zones.
(11) A list of all civil liberties infringements suffered
by Italian Americans during World War II, including internment,
hearings without benefit of counsel, illegal searches and
seizures, travel restrictions, enemy alien registration
requirements, employment restrictions, confiscation of
property, and forced evacuation from homes.
(12) An explanation of why the civil liberties
infringements occurred.
(13) An explanation of why some Italian Americans were
subjected to civil liberties infringements while others were
not.
(14) A review of the wartime restrictions on Italian
Americans to determine how civil liberties can be better
protected during national emergencies.
SEC. 4. FORMAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
The President shall, on behalf of the United States Government,
formally acknowledge that these events during World War II represented
a fundamental injustice against Italian Americans.
<all>