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Matsui Leads Over 50 Congressional Colleagues in Calling for Funds to Preserve Former Japanese American Confinement Sites

March 19, 2018

Washington, D.C. On Friday, March 16, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) led a bipartisan letter with 57 members of Congress to the Appropriations Committee calling for continued funding for the preservation of historic sites where Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War II. While Congress has approved $3 million annually in funding to preserve these sites in recent fiscal years, President Donald Trump's FY 2019 Department of Interior budget request zeroed out funding for the program.

"I'm extremely disappointed that the Department of Interior failed to prioritize the preservation of sites where American citizens were confined through no fault of their own," saidCongresswoman Matsui. "This history was a dark period in our country's past, which is why we have a solemn responsibility to ensure these sites are preserved. I'm pleased that there is bipartisan support for this funding in Congress, which will play a critical role in allowing future generations to better recognize history's greatest lessons."

Co-Signers of Matsui's letter include: Reps. Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Mark Takano (D-CA), Scott Peters (D-CA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ), Judy Chu (D-CA), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-GU), Jim Costa (D-CA), Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Al Green (D-TX), Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Susan Davis (D-CA), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Paul Cook (R-CA), Donald S. Beyer (D-VA), Ted W. Lieu (D-CA), Robert "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D-MP), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Denny Heck (D-WA), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Tony CᲤenas (D-CA), Adam Smith (D-WA), Ami Bera (D-CA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA), Ken Buck (R-CO), Darren Soto (D-FL), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM), Liz Cheney (R-WY), Karen Bass (D-CA), and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA).

The full text of the letter can be found here and below:

March 16, 2018

The Honorable Ken Calvert The Honorable Betty McCollum

Chairman Ranking Member

Subcommittee on Interior, Environment Subcommittee on Interior, Environment

and Related Agencies and Related Agencies

Committee on Appropriations Committee on Appropriations

Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Calvert and Ranking Member McCollum:

As you craft the Fiscal Year 2019 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill, we respectfully request that you maintain level funding to support efforts to preserve the historic confinement sites where Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War II.

The Japanese American internment constituted one of the darkest periods in our nation's history. It would be an even greater failure on our part not to guard against the future perpetration of similar racially motivated acts. The camps, relocation centers, processing areas, and other confinement sites located throughout the South and West are invaluable physical links that help to help current and future generations connect with the history and significance of the incarceration.

Congress has recognized the important educational role of confinement sites. With the passage of P.L. 109-441, Congress unanimously agreed to authorize $38 million to use these sites as tools to educate the American public. In recent fiscal years, your subcommittee provided and Congress approved a $3 million appropriation to preserve Japanese American confinement sites.

Congress further recognized the patriotism of many Japanese Americans who courageously volunteered to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces while their families were imprisoned by honoring these veterans with the Congressional Gold Medal in 2011.

Building on this history of Congressional support, we respectfully request continued funding to support the significant community interest in restoring and maintaining these sites. This funding will leverage proportional local involvement to ensure that historically significant areas receive the attention they deserve. Federal resources provided by your subcommittee will build upon the strong bipartisan support Congress has already demonstrated and reaffirm our national commitment to preserving these sites so that we never repeat this history.

Sincerely,

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