Japanese American Confinement Education Act

Bill: 117-s-988
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
Introduced: 2021-03-25
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Asia

Conflicts and wars

Congressional oversight

Detention of persons

Due process and equal protection

Historic sites and heritage areas

Historical and cultural resources

Japan

Military history

Museums, exhibitions, cultural centers

Racial and ethnic relations

Research administration and funding

U.S. history

User charges and fees
Latest action: action_date: 2021-03-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-03-25
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Japanese American Confinement Education Act</b></p> <p>This bill establishes a museum program on the historical importance of Japanese American confinement during World War II and permanently reauthorizes the Japanese American Confinement Sites preservation program.</p> <p>The bill directs the Department of the Interior to establish a program of grants to a Japanese American museum to educate individuals in the United States on the historical importance of such confinement and the commitment of the United States to equal justice.</p> <p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 988 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 25, 2021 Mr. Schatz (for himself, Ms. Cantwell , Mr. Durbin , Ms. Duckworth , Ms. Hirono , Mr. Wyden , Mrs. Murray , and Ms. Klobuchar ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources A BILL To provide competitive grants for the promotion of Japanese American confinement education as a means to understand the importance of democratic principles, use and abuse of power, and to raise awareness about the importance of cultural tolerance toward Japanese Americans, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Japanese American Confinement Education Act . 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) Japanese American museum The term Japanese American museum means a museum located in the United States established to promote the understanding and appreciation of the ethnic and cultural diversity of the United States by illustrating the Japanese American experience throughout the history of the United States. (2) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior. 3. Competitive grants for Japanese American confinement education (a) In general The Secretary shall establish a program to award competitive grants to a Japanese American museum to educate individuals in the United States on the historical importance of Japanese American confinement during World War II so that present and future generations may learn from Japanese American confinement and the commitment of the United States to equal justice under the law. (b) Use of funds A grant awarded under subsection (a)— (1) shall be used— (A) for the research and education relating to the Japanese American confinement in World War II; and (B) for the disbursement of accurate, relevant, and accessible resources to promote understanding about how and why the Japanese American confinement in World War II happened, which— (i) shall include digital resources; and (ii) may include other types of resources, including print resources and exhibitions; and (2) shall not be used at a Japanese American museum that does not provide— (A) free admission to individuals who were placed within a Japanese American confinement camp; and (B) dedicated free admission hours for the general public not less than once per month. (c) Application To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a Japanese American museum shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (d) Deadline for award Not later than 120 days after the date on which the Secretary receives an application from a Japanese American museum for a grant that is approved by the Secretary under this section, the Secretary shall award a grant to the Japanese American museum. (e) Priority considerations In awarding a grant under this section, the Secretary shall give priority using the following considerations: (1) The needs of the Japanese American museum. (2) The proximity of the project for which the grant funds will be used to cities with populations that include not less than 100,000 Japanese Americans, as certified by the most recent census. (3) The ability and commitment of the Japanese American museum to use grant funds— (A) to educate future generations of individuals in the United States; and (B) to locate Japanese American confinement survivors. (4) The existing relationship the Japanese American museum has with Japanese American cultural and advocacy organizations. (f) Report Not later than 90 days after the end of each fiscal year for which a Japanese American museum obligates or expends amounts made available under a grant under this section, the Japanese American museum shall submit to the Secretary and the appropriate committees of Congress a report that— (1) specifies the amount of grant funds obligated or expended for the preceding fiscal year; (2) specifies any purposes for which the funds were obligated or expended; and (3) includes any other information that the Secretary may require to more effectively administer the grant program. (g) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this Act $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026. 4. Preservation of historic confinement sites (a) Sunset Section 1 of Public Law 109–441 (120 Stat. 3288) is amended by striking subsection (e). (b) Authorization of appropriations Section 4 of Public Law 109–441 (120 Stat. 3290) is amended, in the first sentence— (1) by striking are authorized and inserting is authorized ; and (2) by inserting for fiscal year 2022 and each fiscal year thereafter after this Act .