IV 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 626 
Recognizing the significance of the 74th anniversary of the signing of Execu-
tive 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 25, 2016 
Mr. TAKANO (for himself, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. HONDA, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. LEE, 
Mr. TED LIEU of California, Mr. BECERRA, Mr. TAKAI, Mr. KILMER, 
Ms. BORDALLO, Ms. JUDY CHU of California, Mr. DESAULNIER, Mr. 
GRAYSON, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. MOORE, Mr. RANGEL, 
Ms. SPEIER, Mr. SWALWELL of California, Mr. VARGAS, and Ms. MAX-
INE WATERS of California) submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the significance of the 74th 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 com-
munities 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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Whereas President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed Execu-
tive 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 incarcer-
ation 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Whereas President Gerald Ford formally rescinded Executive 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 pro-
mulgation 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 ‘‘funda-
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mental violations of the basic civil liberties and constitu-
tional 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 rec-
ommendations of the Commission on Wartime Relocation 
and Internment of Civilians so that the events sur-
rounding 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 illumi-
nated and understood’’; 
Whereas Congress adopted the Wartime Violation of Italian 
Americans Civil Liberties Act, which was signed by Presi-
dent Bill Clinton on November 7, 2000, and which re-
sulted in a report containing detailed information on the 
types of violations that occurred, as well as lists of indi-
viduals of Italian ancestry that were arrested, detained, 
and incarceration; 
Whereas the Japanese American community recognizes a Na-
tional 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 Gov-
ernment to identify and acquire sites used to confine 
Japanese Americans during World War II, in order to 
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preserve and maintain these historic locations for pos-
terity 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 Feb-
ruary 19, 1942, the date Executive Order 9066 was 
signed by President Roosevelt, restricting the free-
dom of Japanese Americans, German Americans, 
and Italian Americans, and legal resident aliens 
through required identification cards, travel restric-
tions, seizure of personal property, and incarcer-
ation; and 
(2) supports the goals of the Japanese Amer-
ican, German American, and Italian American com-
munities in recognizing a National Day of Remem-
brance to increase public awareness of these events. 
Æ 
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