[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 47 (Monday, March 19, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S3276]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CRAIG (for himself, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Crapo, and Mrs. 
        Murray):
  S. 916. A bill to modify the boundary of the Minidoka Internment 
National Monument, to establish the Minidoka National Historic Site, to 
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain land and 
improvements of the Gooding Division of the Minidoka Project, Idaho, 
and for other purposes; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources.
  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I rise today with the support of my 
colleague Senator Cantwell to introduce the Minidoka National Historic 
Site Act of 2007. This act will modify the boundary of the Minidoka 
Internment National Monument to establish the Minidoka National 
Historic Site.
  Adjacent to the Minidoka Internment National Monument is Herrmann 
farm. Herrmann farm plays a historically significant role to the people 
of Idaho and the United States. During World War II, the Herrmann farm 
area was part of the Minidoka Relocation Center, one of the 10 city-
like camps where Americans of Japanese descent were interned.
  Herrmann farm is also an excellent example of how relocation center 
land was transformed after the war into small family farms suitable for 
irrigation and farming. Many of these farms were allotted to World War 
II veterans. These veteran settlers put forth the same stubborn 
American spirit and ingenuity with which they helped to win the war, to 
promote the farm area into a fruitful and prosperous agricultural 
section.
  Herrmann farm became one of a few Farm-In-A-Day sites within the 
United States, where members of a community joined together in the 
creation of a farm site within one day.
  The Minidoka Internment National Monument area is also a notable 
educational tool for residents of Idaho and the United States. Herrmann 
farm is an excellent location to inform the public about the post-camp 
homesteading era and agriculture in south-central Idaho as buildings, 
features, and artifacts from both the relocation center and the Farm-
In-A-Day are present at the Minidoka site.
  In addition to the historical and educational importance of Herrmann 
farm, the Minidoka Internment National Site honors the hardships and 
sacrifices of those Japanese Americans imprisoned during World War II. 
Many of the Japanese American's who lived at this site are reaching 
considerable age and want to see this area preserved for future 
generations.
  The site will incorporate the Nidoto Nai Yoni, ``Let it not happen 
again'', memorial that commemorates those courageous Japanese Americans 
of Bainbridge Island, WA, who were the first to be forcibly removed 
from their homes and relocated to internment camps during World War II.
  I ask the Senate to move swiftly on this bill, so the remaining few 
Japanese Americans who are still alive today can revisit this site that 
holds such meaningful memories. It is with pleasure and the support of 
the Senator from Washington, that I introduce this act which preserves 
areas of historical and educational importance for the people of Idaho, 
Washington and the United States.

                          ____________________