[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 17, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E649]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       RECOGNIZING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

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                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 17, 2017

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 75th anniversary of 
the evacuation and incarceration of Japanese-Americans during World War 
II, recognized today as the Day of Remembrance. Thousands of Japanese-
Americans gather on this day to mark the solemn occasion of one of the 
darkest moments of American history.
  On February 19, 1942 President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive 
Order 9066, following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The order allowed for 
forced removal and internment of anyone of Japanese descent, many of 
whom were American citizens and legal permanent residents. A total of 
120,000 Japanese-Americans were imprisoned between 1942 and 1946. All 
those held were never charged with any crime, their only ``crime'' 
having been their cultural heritage. Innocent families were forcefully 
stripped of their home, jobs and livelihoods. Families were given ten 
days to dispose of their property and possessions, only allowed to 
bring what they were able to carry.
  My district included two of the sixteen temporary detention centers, 
located at the Fresno and Merced Fairgrounds Most of the 5,344 held at 
the Fresno ``Assembly'' Detention Center were there for six months 
before being transferred to concentration camps in Arkansas. Over 4,600 
people were held in the Merced ``Assembly'' Center during the spring 
and summer of 1942, before eventually being taken by train to a 
concentration camp in Colorado.
  Achieving peace today requires recognizing the dark parts of our 
history and honoring the memory of those who were affected. Through the 
hard work of community members, today both the Fresno Fairgrounds and 
Merced Fairgrounds are home to memorials dedicated to the victims. Both 
sites feature plaques with the names of those who were imprisoned and 
stories depicting their harrowing experiences. In Fresno, the Fresno 
County Historical Museum features a permanent display entitled 
``Japanese in the San Joaquin Valley'', highlighting those who have 
made significant contributions to our Valley.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives join 
me in recognizing the 75th anniversary of the evacuation and 
incarceration of thousands of innocent Japanese-Americans. It is both 
fitting and appropriate that we mark this solemn day and pay tribute to 
the thousands of Japanese-Americans that were imprisoned and their 
families, who today are staples not only in my district, but across the 
United States.

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