[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 28 (Wednesday, February 11, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H1175-H1180]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MERCED ASSEMBLY CENTER
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 129) recognizing the historical significance of the
Merced Assembly Center to the Nation and the importance of establishing
an appropriate memorial at that site to serve as a place for
remembering the hardships endured by Japanese-Americans, so that the
United States remains vigilant in protecting our Nation's core values
of equality, due process of law, justice, and fundamental fairness.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 129
Whereas, on February 19, 1942, President Franklin D.
Roosevelt signed Executive Order No. 9066, authorizing the
forced internment of both United States citizens and legal
residents of Japanese ancestry during World War II;
Whereas in the largest single relocation of individuals in
the history of our Nation, approximately 120,000 Japanese-
Americans were forced into internment camps by the United
States Government in violation of their fundamental
constitutional rights;
Whereas due to this unjust internment, these Japanese-
Americans faced tremendous hardships, such as family
separation, the loss of their homes, businesses, jobs, and
dignity;
Whereas following Executive Order No. 9066, Japanese-
Americans in parts of Washington, Oregon, California, and
southern Arizona were ordered to report to assembly centers
before being removed to more permanent war relocation
centers;
Whereas the Merced Assembly Center, located in Merced,
California, was the reporting site for 4,669 Japanese-
Americans;
Whereas as a young child, United States Congressman Mike
Honda and his family were held at the Merced Assembly Center
prior to being interned in Amache, Colorado, and his public
career has been dedicated to educating and preventing this
type of injustice from reoccurring;
Whereas in 1998, then Assembly member Mike Honda authored
the World War II Internment of Japanese-Americans: California
Civil Liberties Public Education Act, which became California
public law in 1999 and serves as an important program to
educate the public about the internment;
Whereas February 19th, the 67th anniversary of Executive
Order No. 9066, is known as the Day of Remembrance;
Whereas the Merced Assembly Center Commemorative Committee
has been charged with the task of establishing a memorial to
recognize the historic tragedy that took place at the Merced
Assembly Center; and
Whereas the unveiling ceremony for the memorial at the
Merced Assembly Center will take place on February 21, 2009:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes the
historical significance of the Merced Assembly Center to the
Nation and the importance of establishing an appropriate
memorial at that site to serve as a place for remembering the
hardships endured by Japanese-Americans, so that the United
States remains vigilant in protecting our Nation's core
values of equality, due process of law, justice, and
fundamental fairness.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
[[Page H1176]]
Tennessee (Mr. Cohen) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
General Leave
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have
5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Tennessee?
There was no objection.
Mr. COHEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Born of war hysteria and racial prejudice, Executive Order 9066,
issued 2 months after the United States entered World War II, would
come to represent a stain on America's reputation.
Pursuant to Executive Order 9066, 120,000 Japanese Americans were
ordered to leave behind their entire lives, and bring only their bare
necessities to an unknown place with an unknown future. They spent 3
long years in internment camps in Arizona, Northern and Central
California, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and Arkansas. And when
the war ended and they attempted to return home, many found their
houses looted. Others lost their homes to foreclosure in their absence,
and many could not find jobs to feed and shelter their families.
One of those wrongly interned was our own Representative Mike Honda
from California. He was a young boy when he and his family were ordered
to report to the Merced Assembly Center in California, along with close
to 5,000 other Japanese Americans. He and his family were sent from
Merced to internment in Colorado.
Sadly, it took our government almost 50 years to formally apologize
for this mistake and offer compensation to those who suffered through
internment.
On August 10, 1988, the Civil Liberties Act was signed into law,
offering an official apology for internment and authorizing payments of
$20,000 to each person wrongfully interned.
Although there is hardly anything that can replace 3 years of freedom
wrongfully lost to internment, an official apology and some
compensation provided solace to those who had suffered and helped heal
a Nation stained by this terrible mistake during World War II.
It is extremely important that this Nation never forget this dark
chapter in American history so that it is never repeated. As part of
that effort of remembrance, a memorial to that dark chapter is being
placed at the Merced Center later this month. So today, with this
resolution introduced by Representative Dennis Cardoza of California,
we recognize the historical significance of the Merced Assembly Center
to the United States, and the importance of that memorial being placed
there as a pledge to national vigilance in protecting our core values
of equality, due process of law, justice, and fundamental fairness. I
strongly urge the House to support this resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I support House Resolution 129, which recognizes the
historical significance of the Merced Assembly Center to the memory of
the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, President
Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed his Executive Order 9066, which
authorized the internment of Japanese Americans. President Roosevelt
took this action even though, as chief historian for the Army Stetson
Conn said, ``The only responsible commander in the military who backed
the War Department's mass evacuation plan was the President himself,
the Commander in Chief.'' Even Attorney General Frances Biddle and FBI
Director J. Edgar Hoover advised against this policy.
{time} 1200
In 1942, President Roosevelt authorized the Army to evacuate more
than 100,000 Japanese Americans from the Pacific coast States including
Washington, Oregon, California and Arizona.
Interestingly, Mr. Speaker, many Japanese Americans loyally served in
the United States military during World War II while their families
were interned. This overbroad and unnecessary approach to maintaining
America's security serves as a continuing reminder that the civil
rights of American citizens should never be lost even in the mist of
the chaos of war. Also, Mr. Speaker, this policy did not apply to
German-Americans. Approximately 20 percent of the United States
military during World War II were made up of Americans with German
heritage. But German-Americans were not interned as Japanese Americans
were.
Congress eventually enacted the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 in which
it apologized on behalf of the Nation for the fundamental violations of
the basic civil liberties and constitutional rights of these
individuals of Japanese descent. President Ronald Reagan signed that
act into law on August 10, 1988, proclaiming it ``a great day for
America.''
Over 20 years later, we stand here today to renew our Nation's
commitment to remember the past and shepherd its lessons into the
future. Part of remembering those lessons is remembering some of the
tragic details. One site in particular, the Merced Assembly Center,
located in Merced, California, was the reporting site for almost 5,000
Japanese Americans during the war. As a young child, it has already
been said, our colleague Mike Honda and his family were held at the
Merced Assembly Center prior to being interned in Colorado. Since then,
he has championed the cause of preventing this type of injustice from
ever happening again.
The Merced Assembly Center serves as a symbol of America's stumbling.
But our country has regained footing and has appropriately apologized
for the tragic mistake of President Roosevelt and his Executive Order
9066. And it is reaffirming its commitment, through this resolution
before us today, to never forget its mistakes lest they be repeated to
the detriment of our children and our children's children.
I urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as the gentleman from
California (Mr. Cardoza) may consume.
Mr. CARDOZA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on this momentous occasion of
honoring a great man, John Dingell. And as we do so, I remember another
colleague who is no longer with us, Bob Matsui from California, whose
wife, Doris Matsui, so ably serves with us today in remembering the
work he did on the bill to establish reparations and to make sure that
we never forget what happened in the past. President Roosevelt was a
great President. He led us through a great war. But he did not do so
without making some errors.
Mr. Speaker, as it has been said, February 19, 1942, on that day,
President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 setting in motion the
forced relocation of 120,000 Japanese Americans. As a result, on May 7,
1942, all persons of Japanese ancestry were ordered to leave their
homes and property, their farms, and take with them only what they
could carry and report to a designated assembly center before 12
o'clock noon on Wednesday, May 13. This order was issued by the U.S.
War Department and posted to telephone poles, store windows, placed
across lawns of Japanese American's homes in Merced County, in my home
city and throughout the West Coast.
Nearly 4,700 Japanese Americans from over seven counties reported to
a structure that had been built in just 11 days at the Merced County
fairgrounds in my district. They entered the assembly center not as
Japanese Americans but as prisoners. Families were searched for weapons
and surrounded by barbed wire. Armed guards watched over them as they
settled in to makeshift housing. Mr. Speaker, no one had ever been
accused of any crime, yet they were detained for over 131 days.
Among the victims of this unconscionable act was a young child and
his family, someone very familiar to this Chamber, as has been
mentioned. He was born of Japanese ancestry. His name is Congressman
Mike Honda. And his family were among those assembled at the
fairgrounds in Merced before taken to a more permanent internment camp
in Colorado.
There were hundreds of other of my friends that I have gotten to know
over
[[Page H1177]]
the years, also, that lost their farms from Livingston, California,
from so many areas throughout the Central Valley. And it just pains me
to remember how they lost so much during this relocation.
Each year, the Japanese American community comes together for a Day
of Remembrance to reflect on the events that took place and to educate
the community on the need to remain vigilant in protecting America's
values of equality, justice, due process of law and fundamental
fairness.
This February 21, the Merced Assembly Center Commemorative Committee
will unveil a memorial on the fairgrounds to remember this time in our
Nation's history and the unjust hardships faced by so many of our
brothers and sisters. Mr. Speaker, I can also tell you that in that
event there will be a lot of people thinking about our U.S.
Constitution and reaffirming our devotion to it.
To my friend and colleague, Mr. Honda, I want to say, I'm sorry this
took so long. I have served with you for over 12 years. You have been
my friend all that time. And I am just glad that we can honor you in
this way now. To my friends back home in the Merced area and in the
Nissei farming community, I want to say I'm sorry it took so long, but
I am so proud that I am the person who is able to do this. You are
truly great mentors to me and great friends to our community.
Mr. Speaker, there is no better time to come together as a community,
to heal the wounds of our past and to reaffirm our commitment to
preserving the fundamental values of our great Nation than today. I
wish my friend, Bob Matsui, was here to pass this bill with us.
Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to my fellow Texan,
Mr. Barton.
Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman
from Houston, Texas (Mr. Poe).
Mr. Speaker, I first want to say I support this particular bill. And
I will vote for it based on Mr. Poe's recommendation.
But the real reason I'm here is that I'm getting a little bit
frustrated on behalf of the American people of being shut out of the
process. We have this suspension bill and then three or four others
from the Science Committee this afternoon. We're basically treading
water because a decision was made last night by our Speaker and the
majority leader in the Senate and the President to lock down the
stimulus conference. The Speaker apparently has a plane trip scheduled
to leave to go to Italy on Friday at 6:00 and can't be bothered with an
open and transparent process on spending in the neighborhood of $800 to
$900 billion to theoretically stimulate the economy. And to put that
number in perspective, that is larger than the entire economy of the
nation of Australia. It is 20 years worth of State spending. The State
budget of the State of Texas, which I represent, is the second largest
in terms of population in the country, second only to California. You
would think if we were going to spend that kind of money, and it is an
issue of such importance, that we would have some sort of a process
around here that would have input from everybody.
Well, the committee that I'm on, Energy and Commerce Committee,
Chairman Waxman did hold a markup. But the Republican amendments that
were accepted, most of them were stripped out when the bill came to the
floor. They did allow a few Republican amendments on the bill that came
to the floor. And one or two of those were accepted. It went to the
Senate. The Senate has worked its will. We have come back here. And now
we have a conference that has been appointed so-called, it is the ``no
conference'' conference. It is not going to meet because the deal has
been made. There are five Members from the House. There are five
Members from the Senate. At some point in time, the two House Members,
Mr. Lewis, the senior Republican on the Appropriations Committee, and
Mr. Camp, the senior Republican on the Ways and Means Committee, are
going to be given a report, probably just a document sheet, that says
sign or don't sign, and oh, by the way, you can maybe offer minority
views if you object.
There is no conference going on right now. There's nothing happening.
And in the case of the committee that I'm on, for the first time that I
can ever tell, we don't even officially have a conferree. Now Chairman
Waxman is a conferree. And he should be. But as the ranking member, I'm
not a conferee nor is the Health ranking Republican, Mr. Deal, or Mr.
Stearns, the ranking Republican on the Telecommunications, or Mr.
Upton, the ranking member on Energy. This bill only spends $200 billion
under the jurisdiction of the Energy and Commerce Committee. It's only
$200 billion. But, again, there is not going to be a conference.
Now I think the American people have a right to know. I think there
ought to be a real conference. I think there ought to be a transparent
process. I think we can take an extra day or two. If Speaker Pelosi
doesn't get to leave to go to Italy until Monday or Tuesday, Italy is
still going to be there. The ruins in the Forum are still going to be
there. Venice is still going to be there. Pompeii is still going to be
there. I'm not sure where she is going in Italy.
But I just think it is wrong. Eight hundred billion dollars or $900
billion is a lot of money. There is a process. We just honored John
Dingell of Michigan for the being the longest-serving Member. He
believes in process. He believed in it when he was chairman. He
believed in it when I became chairman of the Energy Committee. If he
told me once, he told me 100 times, you have got to have regular order.
You have got to have hearings. You have got to have subcommittee
markups. You have got to have full committee. You have got to have
markup. You have got to go to the Rules Committee. You have to make
sure that the minority views are heard. And I believed him. That is one
reason he has got such acclamation.
So we're here doing the suspension bill. The people who are sponsors
of it, bless their hearts. It is a good thing to do. But there are a
lot of other things that we ought to be doing, Mr. Speaker, and we're
not doing them. The American people are in the dark. We've got the
``no-conference'' conference with no Republican input from the House
side. And we've got to vote it before 6:00 o'clock Friday. I think that
is a tragedy. It is a disservice to the American people.
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, we don't have any further speakers, and I
would like to know if the minority has any speakers.
Mr. POE of Texas. I have one other speaker.
Mr. COHEN. Then we reserve the balance of our time, and we will
return to the subject matter at hand.
Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman
from Georgia (Mr. Kingston).
Mr. KINGSTON. I thank the gentleman for speaking, and I certainly am
going to support this bill.
All I have to say is here we are with high unemployment, with
economic disaster happening, and yet we are spending time debating a
bill which is going to pass by 435 votes. It is a good bill. It is a
noncontroversial bill. It will pass. It should be voice voted. But why
are we spending time to do this when we have millions of unemployed
Americans and other people who are on the brink of getting laid off?
We have a stimulus bill that the Democrats are very proud about. It
has about $830 billion price tag at the moment. It creates 3.7 million
jobs. Now the Republican alternative is half the cost and twice the
jobs. I want to repeat that. Twice the jobs and half the cost. It is a
bill that targets small business job creation. It targets Main Street,
not Washington, D.C., not Wall Street, but Main Street, so that the
jobs could come from the bottom up rather than centralized bureaucratic
governmental planning here in Washington, which failed in Moscow. It
has failed everywhere else that the government thinks they know best.
The Democrat bill costs $280,000 per job in a country where the
household income, on an average, is $50,000. Just 7 percent of this
money goes to public works, roads, bridges, highways, things that
actually put people to work with shovel-in-hand, only 7 percent of
their money. And the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has
determined that only 22 percent of the entire bill could be spent this
year. So much for urgency.
And one interesting provision that now the Senate has rejected is the
E-
[[Page H1178]]
Verify, the electronic verification language of the House that will
make sure that the jobs go to legal American workers, now that might
get thrown out. Boy, that is such a signal to our Americans. The Senate
compromise continues the House folly of creating 32 net new Federal
programs.
{time} 1215
Some of the programs include $29 billion for weatherization, $1.2
billion for the National Science Foundation, $1.3 billion for NASA.
Now, remember, this is a jobs program. It's not a normal
appropriations program. These things the Federal Government has a hand
in. I understand that. But they're not job creation.
This bill has $200 billion in undisclosed, phantom earmarks, $200
billion which will be used for earmarks, but it won't be disclosed
because decisions will be made by State and local government.
It contains about $8 billion for corporate welfare, by saying to
telecommunication companies who want to expand broadband, we know
you're doing that right now with your own money, but we want to give
you the money to do that. In fact, there's even language in there that
specifies the speed at which the broadband tax credits will be
available, and there's only one company that will be eligible for that.
This bill rolls back the 10-year long welfare reform. It eliminates
the back-to-work provision in welfare, and you don't have to
necessarily land a job, you have to be searching for the job if you're
able-bodied, and this bill eliminates that.
This bill creates a brand new program, $100 million to allow schools
to buy new lunchroom equipment. Popcorn, anybody? Smoothies? Don't
worry, the Federal Government will put the machine in the lunchroom
near you.
And then $100 million for an ag disaster, even though we just passed
a permanent agriculture disaster bill in the farm bill. This bill still
goes out and puts another $100 million for it.
This bill doubles the annual budget for the Department of Energy. It
goes from $23 billion to $40 billion.
This bill allows a new program which puts the Federal Government in
charge of buying $300 million worth of electric cars like this. Now, I
am a strong proponent of alternative energy, and I think that these
cars have a purpose. But it doesn't belong in a jobs bill. We do not
need that in a jobs bill at this point.
The list goes on. This bill has $4 million for a Federal high-
performance green buildings office. This bill actually has language in
there to study the private sector profits in the Northern Mariana
Islands and American Samoa.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Pastor). The time of the gentleman has
expired.
Mr. POE of Texas. I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.
Mr. KINGSTON. Why is that money there? What is the interest of the
Speaker with American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands? What is
that about? Why would that be in a jobs bill? To study private sector
profits? It makes no sense.
You know, our national debt right now is $10.6 trillion. We spend
$450 billion each year just paying interest on the debt. That's almost
as much as what we pay for the entire Department of Defense. We are
letting the generation that's in charge rob from the next generation.
That would be our kids.
You know, Democrats and Republicans have done a lousy job of
controlling spending and, certainly, as a Republican, I want to say we
have not done the job we should have done. But our worst deficit when
we were in charge of Congress was $412 billion. This quarter, this
quarter alone, the Democrats will exceed $1 trillion in deficit
spending.
Ladies and gentlemen, we need to go back to the table. The Republican
bill provides twice the jobs at half the cost.
Mr. COHEN. I would like to inquire if the minority has any additional
speakers.
Mr. POE of Texas. We have two additional speakers.
Mr. COHEN. With the understanding that they don't have to be germane,
but with my personal concern because I think this is a solemn moment
honoring Japanese Americans interned during World War II and should be
respected as such, I yield to the minority to continue.
I reserve my time to speak on this important resolution that
recognizes a failing of our country and the fact that we apologized and
we will find times to reflect on that error to the Japanese Americans
and other minorities, and that this respectful moment should conclude
with my remarks.
Mr. POE of Texas. May I inquire of the Speaker how much time I have
left?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Texas has 6 minutes.
Mr. POE of Texas. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky
(Mr. Rogers).
(Mr. Rogers of Kentucky asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, on the so-called stimulus bill,
instead of engaging in constructive solutions to address the economic
crisis gripping the Nation, the majority chooses to take advantage of
it, using fear tactics to try and shame us into supporting an over $1
trillion spending package loaded with questionable programs that have
nothing to do with getting the American people back to work.
At the end of January, the Federal debt stood at a whopping $10.6
trillion, a third of which was held by foreign nations, mainly and
namely, Communist China. This month, the Treasury has already announced
a record debt sale, thanks in part to our failed $700 billion Wall
Street bailout. A staggering $941 billion was added to our children's
tab this year alone, and with passage of this latest package, the
Federal debt will reach a record $13 trillion by the end of fiscal
2009.
In the next few months, for the first time in world history, the
United States will be offering for sale on the market upwards of $5
trillion worth of Treasury notes. Who's going to buy those notes? Will
we have to raise interest to attract that capital? What happens when we
raise interest rates? That means inflation takes over and the
devaluation of the dollar continues unabated. That's what the result
will be.
And while the majority celebrates over the so-called stimulus
package, the effects of this bill will be the opposite: interest rates
will soar, inflation will rise, the value of the dollar will plummet.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. POE of Texas. I give the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. The world has never seen a nation borrow so
much money in the span of just a few months. Any temporary gains or
glamorous headlines brought on by this stimulus bill will soon be
forgotten when the recession deepens, and our children bear the long-
term effects of a massive government spending spree.
Mr. COHEN. I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman
from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise).
Mr. SCALISE. As we talk about this resolution that we're debating
that's a resolution I support, I want to read the very last segment of
this, in the resolve portion, where it says, ``so that the United
States remains vigilant in protecting our Nation's core values of
equality, due process of law, justice and fundamental fairness.'' I
think it would be real helpful for a lot of people on the other side to
go and read those statements and then look at what's happening with
this massive $840 billion spending bill that's rolling through this
Congress at breakneck speed, with no debate, no opportunity, as we're
finding out, to have any real formal presentation of a conference
report on a bill that's going to saddle our next generation and future
generations with the most massive debt in this biggest spending bill in
the history of our country.
And I think if we look, we're starting to hear today that one of the
reasons that they're rolling with so much haste, much more important to
them that they pass it quickly than that we get it right, and one of
the reasons we're finding out is that some of the leadership are taking
a vacation.
Now, I don't know about other Members, but I know people in my
district
[[Page H1179]]
that are unemployed that are looking for jobs, would much rather see us
spend the time, stay here, cancel the vacations, because many of them
are canceling their vacations; make sure we spend the time to get it
right. That's the most important thing to the American people.
And so as we look at this bill that we're debating, this resolution
that talks about fundamental fairness, I think we need to be concerned
about the fundamental fairness to the American people of getting it
right. And we don't need to look back and figure out how to start over
from scratch. History tells us that massive spending doesn't work.
FDR's Treasury Secretary, in one of the largest spending bills in
history, this bill, this spending bill that the administration's
pushing through tops it. FDR's own Treasury Secretary said, we have
tried spending money. We're spending more money than we ever have spent
before and it does not work.
We need to take a different approach. There's a much better
alternative on the table, and for whatever reason, some in the
leadership don't even want to look at it. Let's take the time and get
it right.
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, once again I inquire whether the minority has
any more time or if they are going to yield.
Mr. POE of Texas. I'm prepared to close. We have no other speakers.
Mr. COHEN. I will reserve my time.
Mr. POE of Texas. I yield myself the balance of the time.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Cardoza from California for bringing
this bill to the House floor, and I agree with my friend from Tennessee
(Mr. Cohen) that we need to refocus on the legislation presently before
the House of Representatives. This bill brings a close to a long
memory, a bad memory in the United States of the internment of Japanese
Americans during World War II. We need to show all Americans, and in
this case, Japanese Americans, the due respect that they are entitled
to, as being American citizens. And that's why this resolution is very
important to establish the Merced Center in California.
I yield back the balance of my time, and urge the adoption of this
resolution.
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, first I would like to thank the honorable
gentleman from Texas for his remarks and the bringing back to the
purpose of this resolution and why we're here now.
It is, I understand, the rules of the House, and when one is in the
minority, one takes the opportunity to have time on this floor to speak
to the American people when they can. Although we just honored Mr.
Dingell, and one of the things we honored Mr. Dingell for was his
appropriateness and order and appreciation for the House and
germaneness.
Now, I was a history major, Mr. Speaker, and maybe because of that
I've got a certain perspective of these type of resolutions. I'm also
Jewish, and being a minority, I've known discrimination in my life, and
known discrimination against Jewish people all over this globe. And so,
because this particular resolution recognizes a failing of our country
in our efforts to become a more perfect union, and talks about the
errors of the past in interning what shouldn't have to be hyphenated
people, Japanese Americans, interning Americans in work camps and
prison camps for 3 years, including one of our very own members, the
Honorable Mike Honda. I find it a moment that should be dealt with with
solemnity, and we should reflect on the errors of the past and
understand that we can become a more perfect union if we remember those
times and correct those injustices. This Congress did that in 1988, and
now, in Merced, California, and this resolution talks about that, they
are placing a marker to remind all Americans of the injustices that
were done in World War II to Japanese Americans.
This Congress, in the 110th Congress, we recognized for the first
time in our country's history, the errors of our ways in Jim Crow and
slavery laws in this country and what we did to African Americans.
There have been several incidents, with African Americans, with
Japanese Americans, with American Indians, where this country has done
wrong, but we've tried to correct those ways with apologies and with
memorials.
{time} 1230
It is appropriate that this resolution by Mr. Cardoza be brought and
that it be considered and that it be passed. I am honored to speak in
favor of it and ask that all Members vote in favor of it.
I know the other side did not mean to disrespect Japanese Americans
or others who have been dishonored by errors in our country's past or,
in fact, our country for taking such a noble step as to apologize,
which a great country does, and the rules permit what they did. So I
know they did not intend to do that, but I, as a history major and as a
minority, feel somewhat concerned that Japanese Americans could feel
that way.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud that this Congress in 1988 apologized. I am
proud that this Congress apologized last year to African Americans. In
order to become a more perfect union, we have to see our wrongs and try
to correct them. The city of Merced, California, at the Merced Assembly
Center, is trying to do that. They will be placing a marker, which Mr.
Cardoza, I am sure, will participate in and in this House of
Representatives resolution which recognizes the significance of that
with an appropriate marker to remember the hardships endured by
Japanese Americans so that United States, the country and its citizens,
remain vigilant in protecting our Nation's core values of equality, due
process of law, justice, fundamental fairness, and respect for the
process and for people.
I would like to ask that all Members vote in favor of H. Res. 129.
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for H.
Res. 129, a resolution which recognizes the historical significance of
the Merced Assembly Center.
I want to thank my friend, Congressman Dennis Cardoza, for taking the
initiative to introduce this resolution. The Merced Assembly Center is
a meaningful piece of our nation's history, and it strikes a very
personal chord with me. I am grateful and honored that Congressman
Cardoza asked to include me in this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, February 19th, known as the Day of Remembrance, marks
the day in 1942 that President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive
Order 9066, which forced approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans into
holding centers and subsequently internment camps. As February 19th
approaches and we recognize the Day of Remembrance, we are again
reminded of the lessons learned from this experience.
Internment changed the paths of many lives. Families were separated,
relocated in some cases across the country, and property and businesses
were lost. As some of my colleagues know, when I was a young child, my
family was uprooted from California and I spent time at the Merced
Assembly Center before moving to an internment camp in Amache,
Colorado. This experience undoubtedly shaped my life and my career, as
I have fought arduously to protect civil liberties in our nation, and
make sure that no community experiences the discrimination and
violation of rights that Japanese Americans did during World War II.
During my time in the California State Assembly, I authored AB1915,
the World War II Internment of Japanese Americans: California Civil
Liberties Public Education Act, which became California public law in
1999. This legislation provides competitive grants for public
educational activities and the development of educational materials to
ensure that the events surrounding internment will be remembered and
taught.
As a former teacher, I place a high value on education in order to
understand the mistakes our Government has made, and how we can learn
from them. I firmly believe that through education, our Nation will
improve itself and avoid making the same mistake twice.
The Merced Assembly Center Commemorative Committee is currently
charged with establishing a memorial to recognize the historic tragedy
that took place at the Merced Assembly Center. This Memorial, which
will be unveiled on February 21, 2009, will also serve to educate our
Nation that we are committed to healing historical wounds and replacing
prejudice and fear with the American values of equality and justice.
Once again, Mr. Speaker, I commend my friend, Congressman Cardoza,
for his leadership on this resolution, for personally reaching out to
me, and for rightfully recognizing the significance of the significance
of the Merced Assembly Center.
Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution
129, recognizing
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the historical significance of the Merced Assembly Center in
California, which will be unveiled February 21st 2009. I thank my
distinguished colleague and fellow San Joaquin Valley Representative,
Dennis Cardoza, for his leadership and perseverance on this issue.
As we all know, on February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt
signed the Executive Order 9066 authorizing the forced internment of
120,000 Japanese Americans, placing tremendous hardship on the innocent
that in many cases resulted in the loss of their jobs, businesses,
property, and dignity. The Merced Assembly Center was the reporting
site for 4,669 Japanese Americans, before they were removed to more
permanent war relocation centers.
A dear friend of mine and a beloved Member of this body, Congressman
Mike Honda, arrived at the Merced Assembly Center with his family as a
young boy. As Japanese Americans, they were forced to endure years of
hardship at an internment camp in Colorado. Congressman Honda fought
against the odds, and despite prejudice and adversity, has risen to
become a great leader in this nation.
What once was a place of loss, hatred and fear now will be
transformed into a place for remembrance, healing and hope. The
Memorial would not be possible without the dedication, diligence and
passion of my college and friend, Congressman Dennis Cardoza, and I
commend him for his efforts to this end. I would also like to recognize
the efforts of the Merced Assembly Center Commemorative Committee. Two
years ago, the Pinedale Assembly Center Memorial Project established a
similar memorial in Fresno County which recognizes the historic tragedy
that took place at that site. Its been said that, ``Those who cannot
learn from history are doomed to repeat it.'' This memorial will help
us learn.
Mr. COHEN. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 129.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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