[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2704]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          INTRODUCTION OF PINEDALE ASSEMBLY CENTER RESOLUTION

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 30, 2007

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a Resolution 
recognizing the Pinedale Assembly Center site as having historical 
significance to our Nation on behalf of myself, Congressman Radanovich, 
Congressman Cardoza, Congressman Nunes, and Congressman Honda.
  As we approach the 65th Anniversary of Executive Order 9066, we are 
reminded of what was the beginning of a dark chapter in United States 
history. On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed 
the order authorizing the forced internment of Japanese Americans. Over 
the following three years, the United States Government forced 120,000 
Americans of Japanese ancestry into internment camps, the single 
largest relocation of Americans in our Nation's history.
  This internment placed tremendous hardship on innocent Americans and 
in many cases resulted in the loss of their jobs, homes, businesses and 
dignity. Furthermore, the internment was a violation of their 
fundamental Constitutional rights.
  Executive Order 9066 included provisions which ordered Japanese 
Americans to report to assembly centers where they would be held until 
they were moved to permanent War Relocation centers. During World War 
II, 4,823 individuals reported to the Pinedale Assembly Center in 
Fresno, California.
  On November 28, 2006, the Fresno City Council unanimously approved 
Resolution 2006-532 designating a portion of the Pinedale Assembly 
Center site known as ``Remembrance Plaza'' to the Local Register of 
Historic Resources.
  The Pinedale Assembly Center Memorial Project Committee is currently 
charged with the task of establishing a memorial that recognizes the 
historic tragedy that took place at that site.
  February 19, 2007, known as ``The Day of Remembrance'', marks the 
65th anniversary of the Executive Order 9066, making it an appropriate 
day for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Pinedale Memorial Center.
  Today over 5,000 Japanese Americans, many former World War II 
internees and their families, live in Fresno County, California. The 
Pinedale Memorial would serve to honor these and thousands of other 
Japanese Americans who suffered during this period. In addition, this 
memorial would serve as a lesson so future generations will not repeat 
the mistakes of the past.
  The Pinedale Assembly Center Memorial sends the message that we are 
committed to healing historical wounds and replacing prejudice and fear 
with the values of equality and justice.