[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2093]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              INTRODUCTION OF NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Chu) for 2 minutes.
  Ms. CHU. This Saturday, Japanese Americans will take a moment to 
remember the tragic events that imprisoned their community 69 years 
ago.
  In 1942, President Roosevelt signed one of the strongest acts against 
American citizens, Executive Order 9066, imprisoning 120,000 Japanese 
Americans with the stroke of a pen. Half of those incarcerated were 
children posing no threat to our national security. But these 
concentration camps were labeled a military necessity, and so they, 
too, were rounded up and forced to live their childhood in bleak, 
remote camps surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards. Families were 
forced out of their homes, made to leave their jobs and abandon their 
positions. Families were torn apart.
  This unconstitutional act was a blatant violation of Americans' civil 
rights. And all of this occurred at the hands of our government 
oppressing individual freedom for years without any factual basis and 
without due process. That is why I plan to introduce a bill tomorrow to 
institute a National Day of Remembrance to annually observe the signing 
of Executive Order 9066.
  This brings back painful memories of a period in American history, 
but it is important for us to remember because it also provides an 
ongoing reminder about the value of protecting the civil rights of all 
people. The Day of Remembrance also honors all who fought and continued 
to fight for freedom and equality among all people.
  So this Saturday, I will take a moment also to remember this time and 
to hope for a better future.

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