IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 143 

Recognizing the significance of the 75th 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 incarceration of individuals and families during World 

War II. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 16, 2017 

Mr. TAKANO (for himself, Ms. BORDALLO, Ms. JUDY CHU of California, Mr. 

COHEN, Mrs. DINGELL, Ms. GABBARD, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. HANABUSA, 

Mr. KILMER, Ms. LEE, Mr. TED LIEU of California, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. 

LOWENTHAL, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. NADLER, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. 

PETERS, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. SMITH of Washington, 

Mr. SOTO, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. SWALWELL of California, and Mr. VARGAS) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the significance of the 75th 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 incarceration of individuals 

and families during World War II. 


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•HRES 143 IH 

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 incarceration of United States citizens and legal 

permanent residents of Japanese ancestry in incarceration 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 identification cards, travel restrictions, seizure 

of personal property, and incarceration; 

Whereas President Gerald Ford formally rescinded Executive 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 ‘‘fundaVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:53 Feb 17, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR143.IH HR143

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•HRES 143 IH 

mental 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 incarceration 

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 incarcerated; 

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 incarceration 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 


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•HRES 143 IH 

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 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes the historical significance of Feb3 ruary 19, 1942, the date Executive Order 9066 was 

4 signed by President Roosevelt, restricting the free5 dom of Japanese Americans, German Americans, 

6 and Italian Americans, and legal resident aliens 

7 through required identification cards, travel restric8 tions, seizure of personal property, and incarcer9 ation; and 

10 (2) supports the goals of the Japanese Amer11 ican, German American, and Italian American com12 munities in recognizing a National Day of Remem13 brance to increase public awareness of these events. 

Æ 


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