[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 16]
[House]
[Pages 23853-23854]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



AUTHORIZING USE OF CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR DEDICATION OF JAPANESE-AMERICAN 
                         MEMORIAL TO PATRIOTISM

  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur 
in the Senate Concurrent Resolution (S. Con. Res. 139) authorizing the 
use of the Capitol grounds for the dedication of the Japanese-American 
Memorial to Patriotism.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 139

       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring),

     SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Resolution:
       (1) Event.--The term ``event'' means the dedication of the 
     National Japanese-American Memorial to Patriotism.
       (2) Sponsor.--The term ``sponsor'' means the National 
     Japanese-American Memorial Foundation.

     SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF EVENT TO CELEBRATE THE DEDICATION OF 
                   THE NATIONAL JAPANESE-AMERICAN MEMORIAL.

       The National Japanese-American Memorial Foundation may 
     sponsor the dedication of the National Japanese-American 
     Memorial to Patriotism on the Capitol grounds on November 9, 
     2000, or on such other date as the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration 
     of the Senate may jointly designate.

     SEC. 3. TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

       (a) In General.--The event shall be open to the public, 
     free of admission charge, and arranged so as not to interfere 
     with the needs of Congress, under conditions to be prescribed 
     by the Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board.
       (b) Expenses and Liabilities.--The sponsor shall assume 
     full responsibility for all expenses and liabilities incident 
     to all activities associated with the event.

     SEC. 4. STRUCTURES AND EQUIPMENT.

       (a) Structures and Equipment.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to the approval of the Architect 
     of the Capitol, beginning on November 8, 2000, the sponsor 
     may erect or place and keep on the Capitol grounds, until not 
     later than 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 11, 2000, such 
     stage, sound amplification devices, and other related 
     structures and equipment as are required for the event.
       (b) Additional Arrangements.--The Architect of the Capitol 
     and the Capitol Police Board may make any such additional 
     arrangements as are appropriate to carry out the event.

     SEC. 5. ENFORCEMENT OF RESTRICTIONS.

       The Capitol Police Board shall provide for enforcement of 
     the restrictions contained in section 4 of the Act of July 
     31, 1946 (40 U.S.C. 193d; 60 Stat. 718), concerning sales, 
     advertisements, displays, and solicitations on the Capitol 
     grounds, as well as other restrictions applicable to the 
     Capitol grounds, with respect to the event.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Shows) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette).
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, Senate Concurrent Resolution 139 authorizes use of the 
Capitol grounds for the dedication ceremony of the National Japanese-
American Memorial on November 9, 2000, or on such date that the Speaker 
of the House of Representatives and the Senate Committee on Rules and 
Administration jointly designate. The resolution authorizes the 
Architect of the Capitol, the Capitol Police Board, and the National 
Japanese-American Memorial Foundation, the sponsor of the event, to 
negotiate the necessary arrangements for carrying out the events in 
complete compliance with the rules and regulations governing the use of 
the Capitol grounds. The event will be free of charge and open to the 
public.
  In 1991, former Congressman and now Secretary Mineta introduced House 
Joint Resolution 271 authorizing the Go For Broke National Veterans 
Association Foundation to establish a memorial to honor Japanese-
American patriotism during World War II. This measure had the support 
of 132 cosponsors and unanimously passed the House and the Senate. In 
1995, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure reported 
legislation transferring land between the Architect of the Capitol, the 
Department of the Interior, and the District of Columbia for the 
purpose of setting aside a parcel of land suitable for this memorial.
  The memorial, which was authorized by Congress and is privately 
funded, occupies a triangular Federal park just south of the Capitol at 
Louisiana and

[[Page 23854]]

New Jersey Avenues and D Street, Northwest. This memorial will help us 
all better understand Japanese-Americans' World War II experiences. I 
would encourage all members to attend this important dedication 
ceremony. I support this measure, and I urge my colleagues to support 
it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Senate Concurrent Resolution 139, a 
resolution to authorize the use of the Capitol grounds on November 9 
for the dedication of the National Japanese- American Memorial to 
Patriotism. The memorial is to be constructed on a prominent site 
located at the intersection of New Jersey Avenue and Louisiana Avenue, 
just a few yards from the Capitol. The event will be free of charge, 
open to the public, and will be arranged and conducted on the 
conditions prescribed by the Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol 
Police Board.
  I support the resolution and urge my colleagues to also support the 
resolution.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution, 
which authorizes the use of the Capitol grounds for the dedication of 
the National Japanese-American Memorial to Patriotism. As with all 
events on the Capitol Grounds, this event will be open to the public 
and free of charge.
  The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and its predecessor, 
the Public Works and Transportation Committee, has a long, proud 
history associated with this Memorial and the event. In 1991, our 
former Committee colleague, the gentleman from California, Norman 
Mineta, introduced House Joint Resolution 271. This Joint Resolution, 
which Congress adopted in October 1992, authorized the Go For Broke 
National Veterans Association to establish a memorial in the District 
of Columbia to honor Japanese American patriotism in World War II.
  In November 1995, I had the honor of introducing H.R. 2636, co-
sponsored by the gentleman from California, Mr. Matsui, and the 
gentleman from New York, Mr. King. The bill authorized the transfer of 
certain parcels of property to establish and build the memorial. In 
1996, the bill was passed as part of the Omnibus Parks and Lands 
Management Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-333). Finally, today, nine years after 
then-Congressman Norman Mineta began this process, we authorize use of 
the Capitol grounds for the dedication ceremony and celebration to open 
the National Japanese-American Memorial to Patriotism on November 9, 
2000.
  The Memorial honors the patriotism of Japanese Americans who served 
the armed forces of the United States during World War II. More than 
33,000 Japanese-Americans were drafted or volunteered for U.S. military 
service during the war. The Japanese-American 100th/442nd Regimental 
Combat Team is one of the most highly decorated military units in 
American history. Its members received more than 18,000 individual 
decorations. Just last week, this body considered and passed a bill to 
name the new courthouse in Seattle, Washington, after just one of this 
unit's many heroes, William Kenzo Nakamura.
  Mr. Speaker, this beautiful Memorial is more than a fitting tribute 
to World War II veterans of Japanese ancestry. It also recognizes one 
of our nation's darker moments--the sacrifices of approximately 120,000 
Japanese-Americans who were interned as a matter of ``military 
necessity'' for up to four years during the War. One of those interned 
was my friend, Norm Mineta. We came to Congress together 25 years ago 
and I will never forget his story. He was only 11 years old when he and 
his family were forced from their California home at gunpoint. Norm was 
wearing his Cub Scout uniform and carrying his baseball, bat, and 
glove. Before he boarded the evacuation train, a Military Police 
officer confiscated his bat because it could be used as a weapon. Norm 
and his family would spend the next 18 months interned in the Heart 
Mountain concentration camp, outside Cody, Wyoming.
  Many, like our former colleague, now-Secretary of Commerce Mineta, 
although placed in internment camps during the war, never lost their 
faith in America. They lost their jobs, their homes, and their 
livelihoods, but they clung to their belief in the justice of the 
American system. At a time when so many were faced with terror and 
adversity, they held in their hearts a steadfast belief in the American 
system. It is fitting that this Memorial to Japanese-American 
Patriotism is within a stone's throw of the U.S. Capitol.
  I support the resolution and wish to extend my thanks to Secretary 
Mineta, the gentleman from California, Mr. Matsui, and the gentleman 
from Hawaii, Senator Inouye, for their perseverance in their long 
struggle to create this Memorial, and their many contributions to our 
country.
  I urge adoption of the resolution.
  Mr. SHOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) that the House suspend the rules 
and concur in the Senate Concurrent Resolution, S. Con. Res. 139.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate concurrent resolution 
was concurred in.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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