[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 33 (Thursday, March 17, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E470]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 REGARDING S. 384, TO EXTEND THE NAZI WAR CRIMES AND JAPANESE IMPERIAL 
        GOVERNMENT RECORDS INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP FOR 2 YEARS

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                               speech of

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 14, 2005

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 
384, a bill extending the Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial 
Government Records Interagency Working Group for two years. This 
crucial legislation amends the Japanese Imperial Government Disclosure 
Act of 2000 to extend from four to six years the existence of the Nazi 
War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government Records Interagency Working 
Group. H.R. 842 extends by two years this worthy working group, which 
was originally created by Congress through Public Law 105-246 in 1998. 
The group is made up of government agency representatives who are 
directed to oversee the declassification of U.S. Government records 
that contain information about Nazi war crimes.
  Such information includes trafficking of assets seized by the Nazis 
and post-war communications between U.S. Government and former Nazi 
officials, unless declassification would unduly violate personal 
privacy or harm national security or foreign policy interests. The law 
also allowed for expedited processing of Freedom of Information, 
requests made by survivors of the Holocaust.
  On December 6, 2000, as part of the Intelligence Authorization Act 
for 2001, Congress changed the group's name to the Nazi War Crimes and 
Japanese Imperial Government Records Interagency Working Group. This 
action expanded the mission of the group to include the 
declassification of U.S. Government records related to World War II-era 
war crimes committed by the Japanese Imperial government.
  Mr. Speaker, the Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government 
Records Interagency Working Group is a valuable effort that informs the 
American people of the actions of their government while balancing the 
protection of legitimate national secrets.
  I support this noble effort so that we can continue to confront this 
dark chapter in American History.
  The vicious and barbaric war crimes committed by the Nazis, and the 
atrocities committed by the Japanese Imperial Government during World 
War II, were some of the worse criminal acts of the 20th century. Both 
of these historical crimes against humanity must be studied and 
chronicled in their entirety. The acts of barbarism and genocide 
committed by the German Nazi and Japanese Imperial governments should 
never be forgotten. Therefore, it is up to the elected representatives 
of the American people to ensure that the United States Government 
complies completely with the Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial 
Government Records Interagency Working Group and makes accessible all 
information that is allowable by law.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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