[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 13, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E181]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                COMMEMORATING THE DAY OF REMEMBRANCE---

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                         HON. MICHAEL M. HONDA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 13, 2008

  Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the Day of 
Remembrance. February 19th, 2008 marks the 66th anniversary of the 
signing of Executive Order 9066, which authorized the incarceration of 
over 120,000 Americans of Japanese, Italian and German ancestry. This 
year also marks the 20th anniversary of the enactment of the Civil 
Liberties Act of 1988, which formally acknowledged and apologized for 
violations of fundamental civil liberties and constitutional rights of 
the Japanese Americans who were interned during World War II.
  The Day of Remembrance is of particular importance to me as I spent 
part of my childhood in Amache, an internment camp in southeastern 
Colorado. My experiences at Amache helped shape my outlook on life and 
influenced my political beliefs.
  The purpose of the Day of Remembrance is to learn from our nation's 
past transgressions. In 1942, our nation's leaders failed us. Some 
120,000 people were taken from their homes and incarcerated, simply 
because of their ancestry. Those incarcerated were denied their rights 
as lawful U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents.
  Though the Day of Remembrance has been established to increase public 
awareness of the events surrounding the restriction, exclusion, and 
internment of individuals and families during World War II, we must 
continue to work to educate the public about the internment of 
Americans in order to prevent similar injustices from ever happening 
again. We must not allow history to repeat itself.
  In this post-9/11 world, it is imperative that we remain vigilant in 
the protection of our civil liberties. As we continue to fight the war 
against terrorism, we must reaffirm our commitment to the civil 
liberties granted in the Constitution and resist the urge to give into 
wartime hysteria. Falling victim to the same kind of racial prejudice 
and discrimination exhibited during World War II completely disregards 
the lessons of the war and the purpose of a Day of Remembrance. I am 
hopeful that my colleagues in both chambers will appropriate funds for 
Public Law 109-441 to ensure the historic preservation of Japanese 
American internment sites.-
  Although the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 formally apologizes for 
violating the rights of Japanese Americans during World War II, we must 
not forget about the experience of Japanese Latin Americans who were 
also unjustly treated. These people were extricated from Latin America 
and brought to the United States, only to have their documents taken 
away from them. Without proper documentation, these Japanese Latin 
Americans became individuals without a country and were subsequently 
used as pawns in exchange for POWs in the Pacific theater. H.R. 662, 
the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Latin Americans 
of Japanese Descent Act, seeks to rectify the injustices committed 
against these Japanese Latin Americans by establishing a Commission to 
investigate the relocation, interment, and deportations of Japanese 
Latin Americans and to recommend appropriate actions. I urge my 
colleagues to co-sponsor H.R. 662 to continue the healing process 
started by the Civil Liberties Act of 1988.
  Now, more than ever, we must strive to balance our cherished civil 
liberties with the need to protect our homeland. Finding this balance 
is the enduring lesson that the Day of Remembrance teaches us and a 
lesson that cannot be lost on our nation's policymakers.

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