California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 126

Introduced by Assembly Member Ting

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Bonta, Chang, Chu, Kim, Low, and Williams)

(Coauthors: Senators Nguyen and Pan)

January 26, 2016

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 126—Relative to a Day of Remembrance.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 126, as introduced, Ting. Day of Remembrance.

This measure would declare February 19, 2016, as a Day of Remembrance in order to increase public awareness of the events surrounding the internment of Americans of Japanese ancestry during World War II.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D.
Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, under which more than
120,000 Americans and resident aliens of Japanese ancestry were
incarcerated in 10 internment camps scattered throughout western
states during World War II; and

WHEREAS, Executive Order 9066 deferred the American dream
for more than 120,000 Americans and resident aliens of Japanese
ancestry by inflicting a great human cost of abandoned homes,
businesses, careers, professional advancements, and disruption to
family life; and

WHEREAS, Despite their families being incarcerated behind
barbed wire in the United States, approximately 33,000 veterans
of Japanese ancestry fought bravely for our country during World
War II, serving in the 100th Battalion, the 442nd Regimental
Combat Team, and the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion; and

WHEREAS, On June 21, 2000, President William Jefferson
Clinton elevated 20 Japanese Americans who served in the 100th
Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and were among
52 individuals who received the nation’s second highest military
decoration, the Distinguished Service Cross, to receive the nation’s
highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, bringing the total
number of Japanese Americans who so received the Medal of
Honor to 21; and

WHEREAS, In 2010, President Barack Obama granted the
Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the 100th Infantry
Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team in recognition of
their dedicated service during World War II; and

WHEREAS, Nearly 6,000 veterans of Japanese ancestry served
with the Military Intelligence Service and have been credited for
shortening the war by two years by translating enemy battle plans,
defense maps, tactical orders, intercepted messages and diaries,
and interrogating enemy prisoners; and

WHEREAS, Many Japanese American veterans continued a
life of public service after the war, including Medal of Honor
recipient and United States Senator Daniel Inouye, who passed
away in December 2012 while representing his home state of
Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, Nearly 40 years after the United States Supreme
Court decisions upholding the convictions of Fred Korematsu,
Min Yasui, and Gordon Hirabayashi for violations of curfew and
Executive Order 9066, it was discovered that officials from the
United States Department of War and the United States Department
of Justice had altered and destroyed evidence regarding the loyalty
of Americans and resident aliens of Japanese ancestry and withheld
information from the United States Supreme Court; and

WHEREAS, Dale Minami, Peggy Nagae, Dennis Hayashi, Rod
Kawakami, and many attorneys and interns contributed
innumerable hours to win a reversal of the original convictions of
Korematsu, Yasui, and Hirabayashi in 1983 by filing a petition
for writ of error coram nobis on the grounds that fundamental
errors and injustice occurred; and

WHEREAS, On August 10, 1988, President Ronald Wilson
Reagan signed into law the federal Civil Liberties Act of 1988,
finding that Executive Order 9066 was not justified by military
necessity and, hence, was caused by racial prejudice, war hysteria,
and a failure of political leadership; and

WHEREAS, The federal Civil Liberties Act of 1988 apologized
on behalf of the people of the United States for the evacuation,
internment, and relocation of Americans and permanent resident
aliens of Japanese ancestry during World War II. The act also
provided for restitution to those individuals of Japanese ancestry
who were interned; and

WHEREAS, February 19, 2016, marks 74 years since the signing
of Executive Order 9066 and a policy of grave injustice against
American citizens and resident aliens of Japanese ancestry; now,
therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California
declares February 19, 2016, as a Day of Remembrance in this state
to increase public awareness of the events surrounding the
internment of Americans of Japanese ancestry during World War
II; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of this resolution to the Governor, the Superintendent of Public
Instruction, the State Library, and the California State Archives.