JACL THANKS CONGRESSMEN MIKE HONDA AND NORMAN DICKS
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Washington, D.C. -- Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA) is being recognized and thanked by the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), the nation's oldest and largest Asian American civil and human rights organization, for his role in increasing the House Budget amount for P.L. 109-441. The JACL also thanks Congressman Norman Dicks (D-WA), Chair of the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies on the House Committee on Appropriations, for his support.
This law was the result of HR 1492 which was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bush on December 21, 2007. This law authorizes $38 million for the preservation of World War II Internment Camp Sites. The 2009 Federal Budget allocated $1 million of the authorized funding. The House version of the 2010 Federal Budget has included $2.5 million for P.L. 109-441.
The House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee showed strong support for Japanese American camp preservation by including the $2.5 million in the House bill for the confinement sites grant program, Minidoka and Heart Mountain amendments to P.L. 109-441, $350,000 for Minidoka land acquisition, and funding to begin the Tule Lake General Management Plan (GMP).
Congressman Mike Honda stated: "I am extremely pleased that the House's Fiscal Year 2010 Interior Appropriations Bill provides for $2.5 million in funding for the Japanese American Confinement Site Program. This amount is $1.5 million above the President's request and the Fiscal Year 2009 enacted level, and I was proud to advocate for this needed increase. I am grateful to Chairman Dicks for his recognition of the importance and urgency in funding this program and appreciate his support for this significant increase. The historic preservation of confinement sites will play a critical role in educating current and future generations about this episode in our history."
Floyd Mori, National Executive Director of the JACL, said: "We are aware that Congressman Honda spent a lot of time discussing the issue with the House Leadership. He put forth great effort in gaining support from his colleagues for preserving the camp sites. We thank him for his work and his commitment to educating the public about the story of the World War II internment of Japanese Americans. We are also grateful to Chairman Dicks for his support, to Congressman Mike Simpson (R-ID) for his efforts on behalf of Minidoka funding and the Minidoka Heart Mountain land acquisition legislative rider, and to all those who are supporting the preservation of the camp sites."
