Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 96

Introduced by Senator Pan

January 7, 2016

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 96—Relative to a Day of Remembrance.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SCR 96, as introduced, Pan. 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 No. 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 No. 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 Infantry 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
Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and
who 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, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the Military
Intelligence Service in recognition of their bravery, valor, and
dedication to their country while fighting a two-fronted battle of
discrimination at home and fascism abroad; 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 No. 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 No. 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 No. 9066 and a policy of grave injustice against
American citizens and resident aliens of Japanese ancestry; now,
therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
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 Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
this resolution to the Governor, the Superintendent of Public
Instruction, the State Library, and the California State Archives.