[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 26 (Monday, February 12, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H1436-H1439]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 65TH ANNIVERSARY OF EXECUTIVE ORDER
9066 AND SUPPORTING AND RECOGNIZING A NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 122) recognizing the significance of the 65th
anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066 by President
Franklin D. Roosevelt and 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.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 122
Whereas President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed
Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, 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 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Whereas President Gerald Ford formally rescinded Executive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, establishing the
Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians
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 conclusion of the commission was 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, as well as 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 it never happens again;
Whereas H.R. 1492 (Public Law 109-441) was passed by
Congress and signed into law in 2006, to allow the government
to identify and acquire sites used to confine Japanese
Americans during World War II, in order to preserve and
maintain these historic locations for posterity and inspire
new generations of Americans to work for justice while
demonstrating the Nation's commitment to equal and fair
treatment for all; and
Whereas the Day of Remembrance provides an opportunity for
all people to reflect on the importance of political
leadership and vigilance and on the values of justice and
civil rights during times of uncertainty and emergency: Now,
therefore, be it:
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the historical significance of February 19,
1942, the date Executive Order 9066 was signed by President
Roosevelt, restricting the freedom of Japanese Americans,
German Americans, and 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
these events.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Berman) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman).
General Leave
Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on H. Res.
122.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume,
but no more than 3 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise in favor of House Resolution 122. Sixty-
five years ago, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066,
leading to the detention of approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans.
They were forced to live in isolated camps, to sell or lease their
property, often at huge losses, and to give up their businesses and
livelihoods. The freedom and civil liberties of Italian and German
Americans were also violated during World War II by measures that
branded them enemy aliens and went as far as restricting their movement
and seizing their personal property. Thirty years passed before
Executive Order 9066 was formally rescinded in 1976.
House Resolution 122 recognizes the devastating impact of that
executive order. The resolution also supports and commends the efforts
of the Japanese, Italian and German American communities in recognizing
a National Day of Remembrance for their history of restriction,
exclusion and internment during World War II. The failure of our
political and judicial system to prevent the injustices against them
still reverberates today.
The decision to intern Japanese Americans was based not on evidence,
but rather on fear and panic. In 1980, Congress established a
Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians. That
commission, after conducting 20 days of hearings and receiving
testimony from over 750 witnesses, concluded that Executive Order 9066
was not justified by military necessity, but resulted from ``race
prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership.''
In 1988, Congress enacted, and I was proud to be here and a part of
that fight, the Civil Liberties Act to formally acknowledge and
apologize for violations of fundamental civil liberties and
constitutional rights of these Japanese Americans.
{time} 1515
In 2000, President Clinton signed the Wartime Violation of Italian
Americans Civil Liberties Act, which formally acknowledged civil
liberty violations against Italian Americans.
The most honorable and principled way to show respect to those
Americans who suffered injustices during World War II is to dedicate
ourselves to fighting for the fundamental American principles of
liberty of which their mistreatment remains to this day a glaring
reminder.
Once again, I want to join with my colleagues in recognizing the very
important work of the Japanese American, the German American and the
Italian American communities in raising awareness of the National Day
of Remembrance, and to particularly commend Representative Honda for
his efforts in bringing this resolution to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of H. Res. 122 which recognizes the tragic
significance of Executive Order 9066 signed by President Franklin
Delano Roosevelt to authorize the internment of Japanese Americans at
the beginning of World
[[Page H1437]]
War II. The resolution also highlights the injustices forced on Italian
Americans and German Americans during this same period.
In 1942, President Roosevelt authorized the Army to evacuate more
than 100,000 Japanese Americans from the Pacific Coast States,
including Washington, Oregon, and my home State, California, and also
Arizona. This grossly blunderbuss approach to maintaining America's
security serves, especially today, as a continuing reminder that the
civil rights of American citizens should never be lost in the midst of
the chaos of war, not even in a war on terror.
President Roosevelt authorized the mass expulsion and incarceration
of Japanese Americans, and these are American citizens, by signing
Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942. A few minutes ago, I spoke
about the prodding of this body, the prodding about the Presidency and
the prodding of the courts. This ill-fated action unfortunately was
supported by this body, the one on the other side of the Dome and, yes,
the U.S. Supreme Court. Had any of us recognized our burden of freedom
and democracy and taken it to heart, this could not and would not have
happened.
The tragic misuse of this power was met with an equally powerful
response, but unfortunately, it was too late.
In 1976, President Gerald Ford issued Proclamation 4417, in which he
said, ``Learning from our mistakes is not pleasant, but as a great
philosopher once admonished, we must do so if we want to avoid
repeating them.'' We recently put to rest President Gerald Ford, but
there was no action that Gerald Ford ever did as President more
significant than this one. President Ford, in apologizing and taking
back the misconduct perpetrated on American citizens so long ago, has
set a high standard for it ever happening again.
Today, we have just those threats among us and amidst us, so I am
happy to support this to join with the ACLU and all the other
organizations that daily fight this and recognizing that this should
never happen again.
Last but not least, we are joined with our colleague, the widow of
Bob Matsui, and I might note that as a freshman it was Bob Matsui who
was on the Democrat side speaking about this issue firsthand. I am
sorry that he is not with us today. I look forward to the statements of
my colleague and his widow, because I believe that, in fact, this is
something we must do every year so that it never, never, never happens
again in my America.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 7\1/2\ minutes to the sponsor of the
resolution, the chief sponsor of the resolution, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Honda).
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to rise today in support of H.
Res. 122. I also want to thank the House leadership on both sides, as
well as Chairman Conyers, for their leadership in steering this measure
to the floor today. While the resolution addresses events from our
past, there is much that we can learn from our history, as has been
stated by our friend Mr. Issa.
This is a resolution recognizing the 65th anniversary of the Day of
Remembrance and supporting the goals of the Japanese American community
in recognizing a National Day of Remembrance to increase public
awareness of the events surrounding the restriction, exclusion and
internment of all persons of Japanese ancestry during World War II.
The resolution also recognizes that many in the German and Italian
communities experienced deprivations during this time as well.
This year marks the 65th anniversary of President Roosevelt's signing
of Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, and the 19th anniversary
of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which was signed into law by
President Reagan.
In 1942, some 120,000 people were rounded up in this country,
primarily from the west coast, and incarcerated. Families were torn
apart. Hardworking people had to sell their businesses for pennies on
the dollar and their personal properties. Everything these people
worked so hard for evaporated overnight.
I spent part of my childhood in a camp in southeast Colorado, an
internment camp called Amache. H. Res. 122 also recognizes that many in
the German and the Italian communities experienced deprivation during
this period as well: public humiliation, detention and, at times,
deportation.
In 1942, on the domestic front, our political leaders failed.
Therefore, today we must work to educate the public about the
internment of Americans in order to prevent similar injustices to be
forced upon anyone in this country. Our civil liberties have not been
in as much risk since World War II, and this time we, as political
leaders, cannot fail.
True to the democratic process, our Nation has been able to look back
and admit errors from its past. I can think of no greater evidence to
show why the United States, with all its flaws, still is looked to
worldwide as the Nation with the strongest and the fairest form of
government.
By admitting that the government did wrong in its treatment of its
citizens and legal residents who were aliens during World War II,
Congress and the President reaffirmed our Nation's commitment to the
principles founded in the Constitution.
However, we must always be vigilant in the protection of our civil
liberties, and in this time of tension as we wage a war against
terrorism, we must again reaffirm our commitment to the principles in
the Constitution.
While national security is always a paramount concern for those of us
making the laws, as well as executing and interpreting the laws, we see
that there are those in government who continue to pursue policies once
again that target our civil liberties.
The whole point of the Day of Remembrance resolution is about
learning. It is about being persistent about the lessons that we have
learned from the American of Japanese ancestry, experience that is
really an American lesson on the Constitution and is also a lesson of
the American character where, upon reconciliation, there is a healing.
There is a healing among not only those who were incarcerated, but
there is also healing among those who were affected but maybe not
necessarily incarcerated. So victims are both those who were directly
victimized and those who were indirectly victimized by the misdeeds of
our government.
Also, the further learning, when we talk about the Day of
Remembrance, is that other communities get to reflect upon their own
experience at that time and project into the future when this kind of
thing should happen again.
As a teacher, I want to reemphasize the necessity for this type of
resolution as it continues to teach us the old maxim that those of us
who do not learn from the mistakes of our past are doomed to repeat
them.
In today's current light, I want to underscore that national security
is my highest priority. It is our government's highest priority, and I
support efforts to fight our war against terrorism. But we must also
understand that in doing so, we do not again have a failure among our
political leadership. We must not give in to war hysteria. We must not
fall back to racial prejudice, discrimination and unlawful profiling.
It is critical and important, more than ever, to speak up against
possible unjust policies that may come before this body. It is critical
that we educate all Americans of the Japanese American experience
during World War II, as well as the experience of other Americans, like
the Japanese Latin Americans.
These people were extricated from Latin America, brought over here,
had their documents taken away from them, thus becoming individuals
without a country, to be used as pawns in exchange for POWs in the
Pacific theater. As this resolution does, we must also remember the
experiences of our comrades of the German and Italian Americans who
were also victimized.
In order to learn the important lessons from our own history, I
introduced H. Res. 122, the Day of Remembrance resolution, here in this
body. I cannot emphasize enough that the lessons of those dark days are
more important than ever. Remembering Executive Order 9066, signed on
February 19, 1942, rescinded on February 19, 1976, and the
reconciliation brought by the redress legislation signed on August 10,
1988, are still instructive to us today.
There is a maturity in this country that I am very proud of. This
maturity
[[Page H1438]]
says that we can learn from our mistakes of the past and we can also
teach to other of our lessons that we have learned. We have learned
that the Executive Order 9066 was not signed out of military necessity.
It was not signed out of national security. It was not signed out of
personal safety and security of the Japanese Americans, but, as the
Commission on Wartime Internment and Relocation of Civilians concluded,
that it was a result of racial prejudice, war hysteria and the failure
of political leadership.
The experiences from 1942, applied to our situation in this post-9/
11, show us that the Constitution of this country is never tested in
times of tranquility. Rather, our Constitution is always tested in
times of trauma, tragedy, terrorism and tension, that the very
principles of our Constitution continuously need to be taught until it
is ingrained in our own character, so that every decision we make as a
citizen, as adults, as children, as students, and as policymakers, that
we will always be true to the principles of our Constitution.
The foundation of these ingrained principles is the light that draws
people from around this world to overcome any obstacle to come to this
country and be part of this society. The word is out around the world
that this Nation will protect individual rights against even the most
powerful in its government. The protection of our Constitution is what
our forefathers and our veterans have shed their blood and sacrificed
their limbs and lives for, in order that our Constitution may live and
really be reflected in every action that we have, not only in this body
but by every action of every citizen of this great country, so as to,
or stated in the Preamble of the Constitution, in order to form a more
perfect union.
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes.
I would like to thank Congressman Honda. Mike and I came into this
Congress together. We came in at a time of peace. We came in at a time
in which remembering 59 years earlier the history of the Japanese
internment was a little abstract and yet necessary. I think that it is
no longer abstract, and I thank the gentleman from California, because
Mr. Honda made it very clear that we have a clear and present danger in
the same way.
It is easy to blame the Muslim community. It is easy to look at Arab
Americans and say can we trust them.
I might point out something that is not in the body of the resolution
but I know that Mr. Honda and I have talked about in the past. During
the time in which we were incarcerating women and children and old men
of Japanese ancestry, the young Japanese Americans were in Europe
fighting and dying in record numbers, defending our country in the most
decorated way of any unit of World War II. That is a separate
remembrance but it cannot be separated from the fact that today Arabs
and Muslims are fighting in the war on terror in Afghanistan, in Iraq
and around the world.
{time} 1530
They are in fact doing exactly the same thing. And I link the two
because I believe that you don't respect history the way we are trying
to today, if you don't link it to the present and the future, and you
don't say we will learn from this terrible mistake. We can't undo what
was done to the Japanese, Italian, and German Americans, but we can
dedicate ourselves to ensure that this shall not happen again in this
great Union.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BERMAN. Before yielding to our next speaker, I just want to
associate myself with the comments of Mr. Honda and Mr. Issa. For one
who remembers some of the key figures in this terrible tragedy,
President Roosevelt; Justice William Douglas, who is an icon and a
symbol of respect for civil liberties generally, you learn what war
hysteria and a tendency to extrapolate the notion of an enemy into
sweeping generalizations which are not justified by the evidence is
something that we should be careful of.
At this point, I am very pleased to yield to my dear friend, whose
late husband I worked with very much on the 1988 legislation who was
one of the great spark plugs in passing that legislation and now his
widow and our colleague, Congresswoman Doris Matsui, for 3 minutes.
Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from California (Mr.
Berman) for yielding me time; and I would like to thank my good friend
from California (Mr. Honda) for his leadership on this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, the resolution before us today is a reminder that from
great injustice can come great awakening.
We take up this resolution to mark the 65th anniversary of Executive
Order 9066. The resolution is a reminder that each of us has a
responsibility to ensure that something like Executive Order 9066 never
happens again.
In a time of war, thousands of innocent American citizens were
rounded up, forcibly removed from their homes, and shipped to
internment camps. Sadly, this was an avoidable consequence of racial
prejudice and wartime hysteria. The government at all levels was
blinded by war. It is imperative that we learn the lesson this moment
in history has taught us. That is why I applauded the creation of a
grant program to preserve the internment camps and related historical
sites where Japanese Americans were detained during World War II. We
must preserve these camps as a physical, tangible representation of our
government's failure to protect the constitutional right of every
American, and also as a symbol of our Nation's ability to acknowledge
our mistakes. Further, these designations will ensure that future
generations will be able to visit the internment camps to gain a better
understanding of the previous generation's experience.
Mr. Speaker, we may have won World War II; however, we were not
victorious because of our treatment of Japanese, Italian, and German
Americans, but in spite of it.
Now, 65 years later, we are once again engaged in armed conflict
overseas, and once again the undertones of suspicion and mistrust
toward particular groups of people lurk beneath the surface of our
society, which is why it is more important than ever to recall our
past, so we do not repeat our mistakes.
I hope every American will take this day to reaffirm their commitment
to our Constitution and the rights and protections it guarantees to all
of us. The resolution before us today recognizes the past injustices
and points the way toward a future where such wrongs are no longer
perpetuated in this country. Each Member of this Congress as a servant
of the people is duty bound to apply these lessons of the past to the
challenges we now face. In doing so, we show our continued efforts
toward ensuring that our country avoids similarly misguided policies
now and in the future.
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my friend, the
gentleman from California (Mr. Becerra).
Mr. BECERRA. I thank the gentleman from California, a friend and one
of the champions on these issues, Mr. Berman, for his time. And I also
thank Mr. Issa, a gentleman from California and a friend, for his
support and leadership on these issues as well.
Mr. Speaker, I think we rise here because this is what America is
about. We often make mistakes, but one of the beauties of this country
and the reason so many people wish to come here is because we have a
way of healing and making amends, and there is such power in
redemption. And for that reason I hope all of my colleagues will
support House Resolution 122, authored by a champion of this cause,
Congressman Mike Honda from California, because he has been at this for
quite some time.
We talk about the healing that has to take place. I want to make sure
I mention the strength and loyalty and commitment of the Japanese
Americans, the Italian Americans, and the German Americans who never
lost hope and faith in our country's values, what our Founding Fathers
really meant this country to mean to the rest of the world. They are
lights for the rest of us, because even in the darkest times they held
out hope. And today, so many years later, 65 years later we are here to
say it is a day that we will remember not because it was great but
because we know how to do great things from things we did wrong.
So I stand here proudly to say to Mr. Honda, thank you so much for
your
[[Page H1439]]
leadership in this cause. Let us continue forward. Let us not forget
those who have not yet seen justice. There are about 2,300 Japanese
Latin Americans who were in essence kidnapped by our U.S. Government in
the 1940s, brought to this country, held here, and in many cases used
as exchange for American prisoners who were caught by the Japanese
during World War II. They never received any justice. And I hope that
we will continue to turn the page toward more full justice for all of
us here in this country.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, to live up to the principles on which this
great nation was founded, we must stand for freedom for all Americans,
in wartime and in times of peace.
On February 19, 1942, Executive Order 9066 was signed, ushering in
one of the darkest periods in our nation's history. During World War
II, more than 120,000 Americans of Japanese descent were removed from
their homes and placed in internment camps. Under baseless fears of
Japanese Americans disloyalty, families were ripped apart and entire
communities uprooted.
History has shown that this action, as well as restrictions on
Americans of German and Italian ancestry, was not only wrong, but also
indefensible. The National Day of Remembrance is an opportunity to
learn from the lessons of our past as we work for a better future. I
join Representatives Honda, Becerra, Wu, Scott, Abercrombie, Matsui,
Bordallo, Hirono, and many of our colleagues for a National Day of
Remembrance on February 19.
In these difficult times of war, as we face the threat of terrorism,
the lessons of that dark chapter are especially relevant today. As we
protect and defend the American people, we must protect and defend the
Constitution and the civil liberties that define our democracy.
I join my colleagues, especially the Members of the Congressional
Asian Pacific American Caucus, who fight for justice and equality every
day, to ensure that history is never repeated again.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res.
122, which lends support to 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 restriction,
exclusion, and internment that these communities suffered during World
War II.
In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066,
requiring 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry to be removed forcibly
from their homes and placed in internment camps--two-thirds of these
were American citizens, none of which had ever shown disloyalty to the
American cause. Forced to live under harsh conditions, the last
internment camp closed four long years later.
A little known fact of this shameful history is that Americans of
German, Italian, Hungarian, Bulgarian, and Romanian descent were
interned as well. Further, those that escaped internment often suffered
from discrimination and prejudice at the hands of legislators and their
fellow citizens.
These innocent Americans were treated unjustly by their own
government during a time of war, simply because of their national
origins. Such maltreatment must not go unremembered. It is absolutely
essential to remember the past mistakes of our government in an effort
to avoid future ones.
In times of war it may be easy to get carried away and put labels on
those around us, assuming what their political ideals are based solely
on their national origin or religious background. But as we have seen
in World War II, such assumptions are unjust and can lead to disastrous
consequences for a group of individuals.
By celebrating a National Day of Remembrance on February 19th, we
renew our promise as a Nation to never let this happen again. We must
ensure that all Americans are aware of these historical events, so that
they may join us in an effort to prevent the repetition of such acts of
prejudice. I commend my colleague from California, Mr. Honda, for
introducing H. Res. 122 to support these goals.
I also commend the efforts of other Americans who recognize the
significance of these events and create awareness within our
communities, especially among our youth. The Public Broadcasting
Service has made efforts to do just that, by providing a classroom
resource online to teach middle and high school students about these
events and to help them think critically about their impact. During the
week of February 19, 2007, this year's National Day of Remembrance, I
encourage our Nation's educators to teach their youth about these
events in our Nation's history.
In honor of the Japanese American, German American, and Italian
American communities within our Nation, let us never allow such unjust
practices occur in this great Nation again. I urge my colleagues to
join me in supporting H. Res. 122.
Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, February 9th marks the 65th anniversary of
the signing of Executive Order 9066 by President Franklin Delano
Roosevelt, which authorized the forcible removal of 120,000 Japanese
Americans--two-thirds of whom were United States citizens and the
remainder of whom were permanent residents--living in the western
United States to internment camps throughout the country. Today I rise
in strong support of House Resolution 122, which recognizes February
19th as the National Day of Remembrance of these acts of injustice
committed against Japanese Americans and of the curtailing of the
rights of Italian and German Americans in the United States. I urge my
colleagues' support for this resolution.
Nearly 3 months after the Imperial Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
precipitated the United States' entrance into World War II, this
executive order led to the incarceration and relocation of loyal
Americans of Japanese descent. I stand here today to acknowledge the
pain and suffering that they, along with many Italian Americans and
German Americans, endured.
The first of over 100,000 Japanese Americans stripped of their rights
as Americans by the authorities of Executive Order 9066 were those that
resided on Bainbridge Island in the State of Washington. They were
given only 6 days to sell their belongings, close their businesses, and
pack-up their lives before they were resettled in internment camps
elsewhere in the United States. And on the morning of March 30, 1942,
these Americans were congregated at Eagledale Ferry Dock under armed
guard before being transported to an internment camp. Friends and
neighbors converged as a symbolic gesture of unity and support for
these Japanese Americans who were involuntarily removed from their
community. They left behind all of their belongings and possessions
that they could not carry or wear. Relegated to internment camps and
living in barracks that were hastily built and unprotected from the
elements, they tried to create stability for the families in a time of
turmoil. Their children attended school and participated in
extracurricular activities, all while being surrounded by barbed wire
and under the watchful eyes of armed guards. Japanese Americans
remained interned in these sites for the duration of the war.
Italian Americans and German Americans also were branded as enemy
aliens and forced to acquiesce to provisions that included required
identification cards, travel restrictions, seizure of personal
property, and imprisonment during this time. Their wrongful treatment
also deserves our attention and consideration to ensure that similar
actions are never again repeated, experienced or relived.
This National Day of Remembrance is an opportunity for us to educate
ourselves and others and to increase public awareness surrounding these
harmful wartime decisions made by the United States Government. We take
this time to recognize the Japanese American, Italian American, and
German American communities that continue to plan events surrounding
this anniversary, further ensuring that future generations never forget
the mistakes of our past. These communities continue the legacy of
honoring their elders, whose patriotism and courage during World War II
are a testament to the enduring loyalty of ethnic minority Americans
throughout this country.
We also acknowledge through passage of House Resolution 122 the
occurrence of an egregious infringement of American citizenship rights.
Passage of this resolution would provide an official record of our hope
and determination that an act similar to this one is never repeated in
the future. The National Day of Remembrance marks the beginning of the
forced exodus of an entire ethnic minority from the western United
States and today we hope to transform it into a means of educating
future generations of the importance of civil liberties, especially in
times of war.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from California and
our Chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Mr.
Honda, for his leadership in commemorating the National Day of
Remembrance on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the signing of
Executive Order 9066 and for sponsoring this resolution.
Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Berman) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 122.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will
be postponed.
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