[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 3] [House] [Pages 3719-3724] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 65TH ANNIVERSARY OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 9066 AND SUPPORTING AND RECOGNIZING A NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 122) recognizing the significance of the 65th anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and supporting the goals of the Japanese American, German American, and Italian American communities in recognizing a National Day of Remembrance to increase public awareness of the events surrounding the restriction, exclusion, and internment of individuals and families during World War II. The Clerk read as follows: H. Res. 122 Whereas President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, which authorized the exclusion of 120,000 Japanese Americans and legal resident aliens from the West coast of the United States and the internment of United States citizens and legal permanent residents of Japanese ancestry in internment camps during World War II; Whereas the freedom of Italian Americans and German Americans was also restricted during World War II by measures that branded them enemy aliens and included required [[Page 3720]] identification cards, travel restrictions, seizure of personal property, and internment; Whereas President Gerald Ford formally rescinded Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1976, in his speech, ``An American Promise''; Whereas Congress adopted legislation which was signed by President Jimmy Carter on July 31, 1980, establishing the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians to investigate the claim that the incarceration of Japanese Americans and legal resident aliens during World War II was justified by military necessity; Whereas the Commission held 20 days of hearings and heard from over 750 witnesses on this matter and published its findings in a report entitled ``Personal Justice Denied''; Whereas the conclusion of the commission was that the promulgation of Executive Order 9066 was not justified by military necessity, and that the decision to issue the order was shaped by ``race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership''; Whereas Congress enacted the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, in which it apologized on behalf of the Nation for ``fundamental violations of the basic civil liberties and constitutional rights of these individuals of Japanese ancestry''; Whereas President Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 into law on August 10, 1988, proclaiming that day to be a ``great day for America''; Whereas the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 established the Civil Liberties Public Education Fund, the purpose of which is ``to sponsor research and public educational activities and to publish and distribute the hearings, findings, and recommendations of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians so that the events surrounding the exclusion, forced removal, and internment of civilians and permanent resident aliens of Japanese ancestry will be remembered, and so that the causes and circumstances of this and similar events may be illuminated and understood''; Whereas Congress adopted the Wartime Violation of Italian Americans Civil Liberties Act, which was signed by President Bill Clinton on November 7, 2000, and which resulted in a report containing detailed information on the types of violations that occurred, as well as lists of individuals of Italian ancestry that were arrested, detained, and interned; Whereas the Japanese American community recognizes a National Day of Remembrance on February 19th of each year to educate the public about the lessons learned from the internment to ensure that it never happens again; Whereas H.R. 1492 (Public Law 109-441) was passed by Congress and signed into law in 2006, to allow the government to identify and acquire sites used to confine Japanese Americans during World War II, in order to preserve and maintain these historic locations for posterity and inspire new generations of Americans to work for justice while demonstrating the Nation's commitment to equal and fair treatment for all; and Whereas the Day of Remembrance provides an opportunity for all people to reflect on the importance of political leadership and vigilance and on the values of justice and civil rights during times of uncertainty and emergency: Now, therefore, be it: Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) recognizes the historical significance of February 19, 1942, the date Executive Order 9066 was signed by President Roosevelt, restricting the freedom of Japanese Americans, German Americans, and Italian Americans, and legal resident aliens through required identification cards, travel restrictions, seizure of personal property, and internment; and (2) supports the goals of the Japanese American, German American, and Italian American communities in recognizing a National Day of Remembrance to increase public awareness of these events. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman). General Leave Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on H. Res. 122. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from California? There was no objection. Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, but no more than 3 minutes. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in favor of House Resolution 122. Sixty- five years ago, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, leading to the detention of approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans. They were forced to live in isolated camps, to sell or lease their property, often at huge losses, and to give up their businesses and livelihoods. The freedom and civil liberties of Italian and German Americans were also violated during World War II by measures that branded them enemy aliens and went as far as restricting their movement and seizing their personal property. Thirty years passed before Executive Order 9066 was formally rescinded in 1976. House Resolution 122 recognizes the devastating impact of that executive order. The resolution also supports and commends the efforts of the Japanese, Italian and German American communities in recognizing a National Day of Remembrance for their history of restriction, exclusion and internment during World War II. The failure of our political and judicial system to prevent the injustices against them still reverberates today. The decision to intern Japanese Americans was based not on evidence, but rather on fear and panic. In 1980, Congress established a Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians. That commission, after conducting 20 days of hearings and receiving testimony from over 750 witnesses, concluded that Executive Order 9066 was not justified by military necessity, but resulted from ``race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership.'' In 1988, Congress enacted, and I was proud to be here and a part of that fight, the Civil Liberties Act to formally acknowledge and apologize for violations of fundamental civil liberties and constitutional rights of these Japanese Americans. {time} 1515 In 2000, President Clinton signed the Wartime Violation of Italian Americans Civil Liberties Act, which formally acknowledged civil liberty violations against Italian Americans. The most honorable and principled way to show respect to those Americans who suffered injustices during World War II is to dedicate ourselves to fighting for the fundamental American principles of liberty of which their mistreatment remains to this day a glaring reminder. Once again, I want to join with my colleagues in recognizing the very important work of the Japanese American, the German American and the Italian American communities in raising awareness of the National Day of Remembrance, and to particularly commend Representative Honda for his efforts in bringing this resolution to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H. Res. 122 which recognizes the tragic significance of Executive Order 9066 signed by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to authorize the internment of Japanese Americans at the beginning of World War II. The resolution also highlights the injustices forced on Italian Americans and German Americans during this same period. In 1942, President Roosevelt authorized the Army to evacuate more than 100,000 Japanese Americans from the Pacific Coast States, including Washington, Oregon, and my home State, California, and also Arizona. This grossly blunderbuss approach to maintaining America's security serves, especially today, as a continuing reminder that the civil rights of American citizens should never be lost in the midst of the chaos of war, not even in a war on terror. President Roosevelt authorized the mass expulsion and incarceration of Japanese Americans, and these are American citizens, by signing Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942. A few minutes ago, I spoke about the prodding of this body, the prodding about the Presidency and the prodding of the courts. This ill-fated action unfortunately was supported by this body, the one on the other side of the Dome and, yes, the U.S. Supreme Court. Had any of us recognized our burden of freedom and democracy and taken it to heart, this could not and would not have happened. The tragic misuse of this power was met with an equally powerful response, but unfortunately, it was too late. [[Page 3721]] In 1976, President Gerald Ford issued Proclamation 4417, in which he said, ``Learning from our mistakes is not pleasant, but as a great philosopher once admonished, we must do so if we want to avoid repeating them.'' We recently put to rest President Gerald Ford, but there was no action that Gerald Ford ever did as President more significant than this one. President Ford, in apologizing and taking back the misconduct perpetrated on American citizens so long ago, has set a high standard for it ever happening again. Today, we have just those threats among us and amidst us, so I am happy to support this to join with the ACLU and all the other organizations that daily fight this and recognizing that this should never happen again. Last but not least, we are joined with our colleague, the widow of Bob Matsui, and I might note that as a freshman it was Bob Matsui who was on the Democrat side speaking about this issue firsthand. I am sorry that he is not with us today. I look forward to the statements of my colleague and his widow, because I believe that, in fact, this is something we must do every year so that it never, never, never happens again in my America. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 7\1/2\ minutes to the sponsor of the resolution, the chief sponsor of the resolution, the gentleman from California (Mr. Honda). Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to rise today in support of H. Res. 122. I also want to thank the House leadership on both sides, as well as Chairman Conyers, for their leadership in steering this measure to the floor today. While the resolution addresses events from our past, there is much that we can learn from our history, as has been stated by our friend Mr. Issa. This is a resolution recognizing the 65th anniversary of the Day of Remembrance and supporting the goals of the Japanese American community in recognizing a National Day of Remembrance to increase public awareness of the events surrounding the restriction, exclusion and internment of all persons of Japanese ancestry during World War II. The resolution also recognizes that many in the German and Italian communities experienced deprivations during this time as well. This year marks the 65th anniversary of President Roosevelt's signing of Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, and the 19th anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which was signed into law by President Reagan. In 1942, some 120,000 people were rounded up in this country, primarily from the west coast, and incarcerated. Families were torn apart. Hardworking people had to sell their businesses for pennies on the dollar and their personal properties. Everything these people worked so hard for evaporated overnight. I spent part of my childhood in a camp in southeast Colorado, an internment camp called Amache. H. Res. 122 also recognizes that many in the German and the Italian communities experienced deprivation during this period as well: public humiliation, detention and, at times, deportation. In 1942, on the domestic front, our political leaders failed. Therefore, today we must work to educate the public about the internment of Americans in order to prevent similar injustices to be forced upon anyone in this country. Our civil liberties have not been in as much risk since World War II, and this time we, as political leaders, cannot fail. True to the democratic process, our Nation has been able to look back and admit errors from its past. I can think of no greater evidence to show why the United States, with all its flaws, still is looked to worldwide as the Nation with the strongest and the fairest form of government. By admitting that the government did wrong in its treatment of its citizens and legal residents who were aliens during World War II, Congress and the President reaffirmed our Nation's commitment to the principles founded in the Constitution. However, we must always be vigilant in the protection of our civil liberties, and in this time of tension as we wage a war against terrorism, we must again reaffirm our commitment to the principles in the Constitution. While national security is always a paramount concern for those of us making the laws, as well as executing and interpreting the laws, we see that there are those in government who continue to pursue policies once again that target our civil liberties. The whole point of the Day of Remembrance resolution is about learning. It is about being persistent about the lessons that we have learned from the American of Japanese ancestry, experience that is really an American lesson on the Constitution and is also a lesson of the American character where, upon reconciliation, there is a healing. There is a healing among not only those who were incarcerated, but there is also healing among those who were affected but maybe not necessarily incarcerated. So victims are both those who were directly victimized and those who were indirectly victimized by the misdeeds of our government. Also, the further learning, when we talk about the Day of Remembrance, is that other communities get to reflect upon their own experience at that time and project into the future when this kind of thing should happen again. As a teacher, I want to reemphasize the necessity for this type of resolution as it continues to teach us the old maxim that those of us who do not learn from the mistakes of our past are doomed to repeat them. In today's current light, I want to underscore that national security is my highest priority. It is our government's highest priority, and I support efforts to fight our war against terrorism. But we must also understand that in doing so, we do not again have a failure among our political leadership. We must not give in to war hysteria. We must not fall back to racial prejudice, discrimination and unlawful profiling. It is critical and important, more than ever, to speak up against possible unjust policies that may come before this body. It is critical that we educate all Americans of the Japanese American experience during World War II, as well as the experience of other Americans, like the Japanese Latin Americans. These people were extricated from Latin America, brought over here, had their documents taken away from them, thus becoming individuals without a country, to be used as pawns in exchange for POWs in the Pacific theater. As this resolution does, we must also remember the experiences of our comrades of the German and Italian Americans who were also victimized. In order to learn the important lessons from our own history, I introduced H. Res. 122, the Day of Remembrance resolution, here in this body. I cannot emphasize enough that the lessons of those dark days are more important than ever. Remembering Executive Order 9066, signed on February 19, 1942, rescinded on February 19, 1976, and the reconciliation brought by the redress legislation signed on August 10, 1988, are still instructive to us today. There is a maturity in this country that I am very proud of. This maturity says that we can learn from our mistakes of the past and we can also teach to other of our lessons that we have learned. We have learned that the Executive Order 9066 was not signed out of military necessity. It was not signed out of national security. It was not signed out of personal safety and security of the Japanese Americans, but, as the Commission on Wartime Internment and Relocation of Civilians concluded, that it was a result of racial prejudice, war hysteria and the failure of political leadership. The experiences from 1942, applied to our situation in this post-9/ 11, show us that the Constitution of this country is never tested in times of tranquility. Rather, our Constitution is always tested in times of trauma, tragedy, terrorism and tension, that the very principles of our Constitution continuously need to be taught until it is ingrained in our own character, so that every decision we make as a citizen, as adults, [[Page 3722]] as children, as students, and as policymakers, that we will always be true to the principles of our Constitution. The foundation of these ingrained principles is the light that draws people from around this world to overcome any obstacle to come to this country and be part of this society. The word is out around the world that this Nation will protect individual rights against even the most powerful in its government. The protection of our Constitution is what our forefathers and our veterans have shed their blood and sacrificed their limbs and lives for, in order that our Constitution may live and really be reflected in every action that we have, not only in this body but by every action of every citizen of this great country, so as to, or stated in the Preamble of the Constitution, in order to form a more perfect union. Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes. I would like to thank Congressman Honda. Mike and I came into this Congress together. We came in at a time of peace. We came in at a time in which remembering 59 years earlier the history of the Japanese internment was a little abstract and yet necessary. I think that it is no longer abstract, and I thank the gentleman from California, because Mr. Honda made it very clear that we have a clear and present danger in the same way. It is easy to blame the Muslim community. It is easy to look at Arab Americans and say can we trust them. I might point out something that is not in the body of the resolution but I know that Mr. Honda and I have talked about in the past. During the time in which we were incarcerating women and children and old men of Japanese ancestry, the young Japanese Americans were in Europe fighting and dying in record numbers, defending our country in the most decorated way of any unit of World War II. That is a separate remembrance but it cannot be separated from the fact that today Arabs and Muslims are fighting in the war on terror in Afghanistan, in Iraq and around the world. {time} 1530 They are in fact doing exactly the same thing. And I link the two because I believe that you don't respect history the way we are trying to today, if you don't link it to the present and the future, and you don't say we will learn from this terrible mistake. We can't undo what was done to the Japanese, Italian, and German Americans, but we can dedicate ourselves to ensure that this shall not happen again in this great Union. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. BERMAN. Before yielding to our next speaker, I just want to associate myself with the comments of Mr. Honda and Mr. Issa. For one who remembers some of the key figures in this terrible tragedy, President Roosevelt; Justice William Douglas, who is an icon and a symbol of respect for civil liberties generally, you learn what war hysteria and a tendency to extrapolate the notion of an enemy into sweeping generalizations which are not justified by the evidence is something that we should be careful of. At this point, I am very pleased to yield to my dear friend, whose late husband I worked with very much on the 1988 legislation who was one of the great spark plugs in passing that legislation and now his widow and our colleague, Congresswoman Doris Matsui, for 3 minutes. Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from California (Mr. Berman) for yielding me time; and I would like to thank my good friend from California (Mr. Honda) for his leadership on this resolution. Mr. Speaker, the resolution before us today is a reminder that from great injustice can come great awakening. We take up this resolution to mark the 65th anniversary of Executive Order 9066. The resolution is a reminder that each of us has a responsibility to ensure that something like Executive Order 9066 never happens again. In a time of war, thousands of innocent American citizens were rounded up, forcibly removed from their homes, and shipped to internment camps. Sadly, this was an avoidable consequence of racial prejudice and wartime hysteria. The government at all levels was blinded by war. It is imperative that we learn the lesson this moment in history has taught us. That is why I applauded the creation of a grant program to preserve the internment camps and related historical sites where Japanese Americans were detained during World War II. We must preserve these camps as a physical, tangible representation of our government's failure to protect the constitutional right of every American, and also as a symbol of our Nation's ability to acknowledge our mistakes. Further, these designations will ensure that future generations will be able to visit the internment camps to gain a better understanding of the previous generation's experience. Mr. Speaker, we may have won World War II; however, we were not victorious because of our treatment of Japanese, Italian, and German Americans, but in spite of it. Now, 65 years later, we are once again engaged in armed conflict overseas, and once again the undertones of suspicion and mistrust toward particular groups of people lurk beneath the surface of our society, which is why it is more important than ever to recall our past, so we do not repeat our mistakes. I hope every American will take this day to reaffirm their commitment to our Constitution and the rights and protections it guarantees to all of us. The resolution before us today recognizes the past injustices and points the way toward a future where such wrongs are no longer perpetuated in this country. Each Member of this Congress as a servant of the people is duty bound to apply these lessons of the past to the challenges we now face. In doing so, we show our continued efforts toward ensuring that our country avoids similarly misguided policies now and in the future. Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my friend, the gentleman from California (Mr. Becerra). Mr. BECERRA. I thank the gentleman from California, a friend and one of the champions on these issues, Mr. Berman, for his time. And I also thank Mr. Issa, a gentleman from California and a friend, for his support and leadership on these issues as well. Mr. Speaker, I think we rise here because this is what America is about. We often make mistakes, but one of the beauties of this country and the reason so many people wish to come here is because we have a way of healing and making amends, and there is such power in redemption. And for that reason I hope all of my colleagues will support House Resolution 122, authored by a champion of this cause, Congressman Mike Honda from California, because he has been at this for quite some time. We talk about the healing that has to take place. I want to make sure I mention the strength and loyalty and commitment of the Japanese Americans, the Italian Americans, and the German Americans who never lost hope and faith in our country's values, what our Founding Fathers really meant this country to mean to the rest of the world. They are lights for the rest of us, because even in the darkest times they held out hope. And today, so many years later, 65 years later we are here to say it is a day that we will remember not because it was great but because we know how to do great things from things we did wrong. So I stand here proudly to say to Mr. Honda, thank you so much for your leadership in this cause. Let us continue forward. Let us not forget those who have not yet seen justice. There are about 2,300 Japanese Latin Americans who were in essence kidnapped by our U.S. Government in the 1940s, brought to this country, held here, and in many cases used as exchange for American prisoners who were caught by the Japanese during World War II. They never received any justice. And I hope that we will continue to turn the page toward more full justice for all of us here in this country. Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, to live up to the principles on which this great nation was [[Page 3723]] founded, we must stand for freedom for all Americans, in wartime and in times of peace. On February 19, 1942, Executive Order 9066 was signed, ushering in one of the darkest periods in our nation's history. During World War II, more than 120,000 Americans of Japanese descent were removed from their homes and placed in internment camps. Under baseless fears of Japanese Americans disloyalty, families were ripped apart and entire communities uprooted. History has shown that this action, as well as restrictions on Americans of German and Italian ancestry, was not only wrong, but also indefensible. The National Day of Remembrance is an opportunity to learn from the lessons of our past as we work for a better future. I join Representatives Honda, Becerra, Wu, Scott, Abercrombie, Matsui, Bordallo, Hirono, and many of our colleagues for a National Day of Remembrance on February 19. In these difficult times of war, as we face the threat of terrorism, the lessons of that dark chapter are especially relevant today. As we protect and defend the American people, we must protect and defend the Constitution and the civil liberties that define our democracy. I join my colleagues, especially the Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, who fight for justice and equality every day, to ensure that history is never repeated again. Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 122, which lends support to the goals of the Japanese American, German American, and Italian American communities in recognizing a National Day of Remembrance to increase public awareness of the restriction, exclusion, and internment that these communities suffered during World War II. In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, requiring 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry to be removed forcibly from their homes and placed in internment camps--two-thirds of these were American citizens, none of which had ever shown disloyalty to the American cause. Forced to live under harsh conditions, the last internment camp closed four long years later. A little known fact of this shameful history is that Americans of German, Italian, Hungarian, Bulgarian, and Romanian descent were interned as well. Further, those that escaped internment often suffered from discrimination and prejudice at the hands of legislators and their fellow citizens. These innocent Americans were treated unjustly by their own government during a time of war, simply because of their national origins. Such maltreatment must not go unremembered. It is absolutely essential to remember the past mistakes of our government in an effort to avoid future ones. In times of war it may be easy to get carried away and put labels on those around us, assuming what their political ideals are based solely on their national origin or religious background. But as we have seen in World War II, such assumptions are unjust and can lead to disastrous consequences for a group of individuals. By celebrating a National Day of Remembrance on February 19th, we renew our promise as a Nation to never let this happen again. We must ensure that all Americans are aware of these historical events, so that they may join us in an effort to prevent the repetition of such acts of prejudice. I commend my colleague from California, Mr. Honda, for introducing H. Res. 122 to support these goals. I also commend the efforts of other Americans who recognize the significance of these events and create awareness within our communities, especially among our youth. The Public Broadcasting Service has made efforts to do just that, by providing a classroom resource online to teach middle and high school students about these events and to help them think critically about their impact. During the week of February 19, 2007, this year's National Day of Remembrance, I encourage our Nation's educators to teach their youth about these events in our Nation's history. In honor of the Japanese American, German American, and Italian American communities within our Nation, let us never allow such unjust practices occur in this great Nation again. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 122. Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, February 9th marks the 65th anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, which authorized the forcible removal of 120,000 Japanese Americans--two-thirds of whom were United States citizens and the remainder of whom were permanent residents--living in the western United States to internment camps throughout the country. Today I rise in strong support of House Resolution 122, which recognizes February 19th as the National Day of Remembrance of these acts of injustice committed against Japanese Americans and of the curtailing of the rights of Italian and German Americans in the United States. I urge my colleagues' support for this resolution. Nearly 3 months after the Imperial Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor precipitated the United States' entrance into World War II, this executive order led to the incarceration and relocation of loyal Americans of Japanese descent. I stand here today to acknowledge the pain and suffering that they, along with many Italian Americans and German Americans, endured. The first of over 100,000 Japanese Americans stripped of their rights as Americans by the authorities of Executive Order 9066 were those that resided on Bainbridge Island in the State of Washington. They were given only 6 days to sell their belongings, close their businesses, and pack-up their lives before they were resettled in internment camps elsewhere in the United States. And on the morning of March 30, 1942, these Americans were congregated at Eagledale Ferry Dock under armed guard before being transported to an internment camp. Friends and neighbors converged as a symbolic gesture of unity and support for these Japanese Americans who were involuntarily removed from their community. They left behind all of their belongings and possessions that they could not carry or wear. Relegated to internment camps and living in barracks that were hastily built and unprotected from the elements, they tried to create stability for the families in a time of turmoil. Their children attended school and participated in extracurricular activities, all while being surrounded by barbed wire and under the watchful eyes of armed guards. Japanese Americans remained interned in these sites for the duration of the war. Italian Americans and German Americans also were branded as enemy aliens and forced to acquiesce to provisions that included required identification cards, travel restrictions, seizure of personal property, and imprisonment during this time. Their wrongful treatment also deserves our attention and consideration to ensure that similar actions are never again repeated, experienced or relived. This National Day of Remembrance is an opportunity for us to educate ourselves and others and to increase public awareness surrounding these harmful wartime decisions made by the United States Government. We take this time to recognize the Japanese American, Italian American, and German American communities that continue to plan events surrounding this anniversary, further ensuring that future generations never forget the mistakes of our past. These communities continue the legacy of honoring their elders, whose patriotism and courage during World War II are a testament to the enduring loyalty of ethnic minority Americans throughout this country. We also acknowledge through passage of House Resolution 122 the occurrence of an egregious infringement of American citizenship rights. Passage of this resolution would provide an official record of our hope and determination that an act similar to this one is never repeated in the future. The National Day of Remembrance marks the beginning of the forced exodus of an entire ethnic minority from the western United States and today we hope to transform it into a means of educating future generations of the importance of civil liberties, especially in times of war. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from California and our Chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Mr. Honda, for his leadership in commemorating the National Day of Remembrance on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066 and for sponsoring this resolution. Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, February 19, we will mark the 65th anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. This resolution authorized the internment of over one hundred thousand American citizens and legal resident aliens of Japanese, German, and Italian ancestry. At the hands of our government, Japanese, German, and Italian citizens suffered grievous violations of their civil liberties. These war-time measures were far- reaching, uprooting entire communities and targeting citizens as well as resident aliens. Although the greatest numbers of those impacted by Executive Order 9066 were Japanese-Americans, little is known about the impact of the measure on Italian and German- Americans. Like Japanese-Americans, Italian and German-Americans were branded ``enemy aliens'' and were required to carry identification cards, saddled with travel restrictions, had their personal property seized, and placed in internment. For example, 3,200 resident aliens of Italian background were arrested and more than 300 of them were interned. About 11,000 German residents--including some naturalized [[Page 3724]] citizens--were arrested and more than 5,000 were interned. Executive Order 9066 was finally rescinded by Gerald Ford on April 19, 1976 and in 1983, the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) concluded that the incarceration of Japanese-Americans had not been justified by military necessity. Rather, the report determined that the decision to incarcerate was based on ``race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership.'' The Civil Liberties Act of 1988, based on the CWRIC recommendations, was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan and an appropriations bill authorizing reparations to be paid between 1990 and 1998 was signed by George H.W. Bush in 1989. Finally, in 1990, surviving internees began to receive individual redress payments and a letter of apology. Through these acts, our government has attempted to make amends, yet the initial effects of Executive Order 9066 remain in the hearts and minds of many Americans. Mr. Speaker, as co-chair of the Congressional Italian-American Delegation, I fully support H. Res. 122, which would effectively recognize the significance of the 65th anniversary of Executive Order 9066 and support the goals of the Japanese-American, German-American, and Italian-American communities in recognizing a National Day of Remembrance. This bill will go a long way in helping to increase public awareness of the events surrounding the restriction, exclusion, and internment of individuals and families during World War II, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, February 19th marks the 65th anniversary of one of the greatest mistakes in our country's long history. On that day in 1942, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which authorized the internment of tens of thousands of Japanese Americans. This executive order was also applied to a smaller group of Americans of both Italian and German descent. In recognition of the 65th anniversary of the internments, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 122. This resolution supports the goals of the Japanese American, German American, and Italian American communities in recognizing a National Day of Remembrance for those individuals who were unjustly imprisoned. It is said that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. A National Day of Remembrance would increase public awareness of the events surrounding the internment of innocent Americans and their families. While our society has made important strides towards ending racial discrimination and inequality in the 65 years since President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, we still have a long road ahead of us. Just last week, alarming statistics were released on the resurgence of the KKK and other hate groups in the United States. This is why we must pass this resolution. Our government and our leaders cannot make the mistakes of the past. Instead they must guide us to a greater understanding and respect for all Americans. Mr. BERMAN. 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 California (Mr. Berman) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 122. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. ____________________