[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 116 (Thursday, July 11, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E904]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING THE PORT CHICAGO 50

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MARK DeSAULNIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 11, 2019

  Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Port 
Chicago 50.
  In 1944, a cargo vessel exploded at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine, 
located in my district, resulting in the deadliest home front disaster 
of World War II. The men loading ammunition at the site were African 
American. When the surviving African American 258 sailors 
understandably refused to return to those unsafe conditions, 50 were 
discriminately charged with and convicted of mutiny.
  Congress and the Administration have repeatedly recognized the 
injustice the Port Chicago 50 suffered. Congress directed the creation 
of a memorial, the Executive branch pardoned one of the 50, and then-
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus recognized the ``well-documented 
challenges associated with uniformed service by African Americans 
during that era'' and said he ``strongly support[s] executive action in 
favor of'' the Port Chicago 50.
  An amendment I filed to the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 
2500) calls for the Navy to exonerate them, a process used in prior 
NDAAs for wrongfully convicted service members.
  As we near the 75th anniversary of the explosion, let us follow 
President Obama's Port Chicago tribute: ``may we carry forward their 
legacy by renewing our resolve to tackle injustice in our time.''
  I would like to particularly thank the Friends of Port Chicago, 
including Reverend Diana McDaniel, Professor John Lawrence at the 
University of California Washington Center, former Congressman George 
Miller, and Congresswoman Barbara Lee for all of their work and support 
for this cause.
  I am grateful to my colleagues for their support of this amendment 
and look forward to working with our colleagues in the Senate to ensure 
this important provision remains in the bill that is ultimately signed 
into law.

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