[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 58 (Thursday, April 10, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S5248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 118--SUPPORTING THE GOALS OF THE JAPANESE AMERICAN, 
  GERMAN AMERICAN, AND ITALIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES IN RECOGNIZING A 
NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE EVENTS 
 SURROUNDING THE RESTRICTION, EXCLUSION, AND INTERNMENT OF INDIVIDUALS 
                    AND FAMILIES DURING WORLD WAR II

  Mrs. BOXER submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 118

       Whereas, on February 19, 1942, President Franklin Delano 
     Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which authorized the 
     exclusion of 120,000 Japanese Americans and legal resident 
     aliens from the West coast of the United States and the 
     internment of United States citizens and legal permanent 
     residents of Japanese ancestry in internment camps during 
     World War II;
       Whereas the freedom of Italian Americans and German 
     Americans was also restricted during World War II by measures 
     that branded them as enemy aliens and included required 
     identification cards, travel restrictions, seizure of 
     personal property, and internment;
       Whereas President Gerald Ford formally rescinded Executive 
     Order 9066 on February 19, 1976, in his speech, ``An American 
     Promise'';
       Whereas Congress adopted legislation which was signed by 
     President Jimmy Carter on July 31, 1980, which established 
     the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of 
     Civilians (the ``Commission'') to investigate the claim that 
     the incarceration of Japanese Americans and legal resident 
     aliens during World War II was justified by military 
     necessity;
       Whereas the Commission held 20 days of hearings and heard 
     from over 750 witnesses on this matter and published its 
     findings in a report entitled ``Personal Justice Denied'';
       Whereas the Commission concluded that the promulgation of 
     Executive Order 9066 was not justified by military necessity 
     and that the decision to issue the order was shaped by ``race 
     prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political 
     leadership'';
       Whereas Congress enacted the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, 
     in which it apologized on behalf of the Nation for 
     ``fundamental violations of the basic civil liberties and 
     constitutional rights of these individuals of Japanese 
     ancestry'';
       Whereas President Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties 
     Act of 1988 into law on August 10, 1988, proclaiming that day 
     to be a ``great day for America'';
       Whereas the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 established the 
     Civil Liberties Public Education Fund, the purpose of which 
     is ``to sponsor research and public educational activities 
     and to publish and distribute the hearings, findings, and 
     recommendations of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and 
     Internment of Civilians so that the events surrounding the 
     exclusion, forced removal, and internment of civilians and 
     permanent resident aliens of Japanese ancestry will be 
     remembered, and so that the causes and circumstances of this 
     and similar events may be illuminated and understood'';
       Whereas Congress adopted the Wartime Violation of Italian 
     Americans Civil Liberties Act, which was signed by President 
     Bill Clinton on November 7, 2000, and which resulted in a 
     report containing detailed information on the types of 
     violations that occurred and lists of individuals of Italian 
     ancestry that were arrested, detained, and interned;
       Whereas the Japanese American community recognizes a 
     National Day of Remembrance on February 19th of each year to 
     educate the public about the lessons learned from the 
     internment to ensure that such an event never happens again; 
     and
       Whereas the Day of Remembrance provides an opportunity for 
     all people to reflect on the importance of justice and civil 
     liberties during times of uncertainty and emergency: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the historical significance of February 19, 
     1942, the date President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 
     9066, which restricted the freedom of Japanese Americans, 
     German Americans, Italian Americans, and legal resident 
     aliens through required identification cards, travel 
     restrictions, seizure of personal property, and internment; 
     and
       (2) supports the goals of the Japanese American, German 
     American, and Italian American communities in recognizing a 
     National Day of Remembrance to increase public awareness of 
     the restrictions endured by the people in those communities 
     as a result of Executive Order 9066.

  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, today I am submitting a resolution to 
support the goals of the Japanese American, German American and Italian 
American communities in recognizing a ``National Day of Remembrance.'' 
This resolution will increase public awareness of the events 
surrounding the restriction, exclusion and internment of individuals 
and families during World War II.
  On February 11, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed 
Executive Order 9066, which authorized the incarceration of over 
120,000 Americans of Japanese, Italian and German ancestry. Not until 
34 years later--on February 19, 1976--was E.O. 9066 formally rescinded 
by President Gerald Ford.
  Since then, Congress and Presidents Carter, Reagan, and Clinton have 
recognized the ``fundamental violation of the basic civil liberties and 
constitutional rights'' of individuals detained and interned under E.O. 
9066. The Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians 
established by Congress under President Carter concluded that the 
decision to issue E.O. 9066 was shaped by ``race prejudice, war 
hysteria, and a failure of political leadership.''
  In the last half century, organizations, families and individuals all 
over the country have observed a day of remembrance on February 19 to 
educate others of the distinct experiences of Japanese, Italian, and 
German Americans during World War II. Congressional recognition of this 
``National Day of Remembrance'' would assist in promoting dialogue and 
education of Americans on this very important event in our history.
  We need to recognize and support the efforts to raise awareness of 
the experiences of interned Americans. I urge my colleagues to support 
this resolution.

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