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KEY: stricken = old language to be removed
         underscored = new language to be added









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S.R. No. 35, as introduced: 90th Legislative Session (2017-2018) Posted on February 2, 2017




1.1A Senate resolution

         		1.2recognizing a "Day of Remembrance" for Minnesota Japanese Americans who were 

         		1.3incarcerated during World War II and who served in the United States Military.

         		 1.4WHEREAS, on February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 

         		1.59066, which authorized the forced removal and incarceration of approximately 120,000         Japanese 

         		1.6Americans residing in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, and Hawaii;         and

         		 1.7WHEREAS, Executive Order 9066 led to the exclusion and subsequent incarceration of 

         		1.8Japanese Americans, causing them to lose millions of dollars in property and assets,         to suffer 

         		1.9immeasurable physical and psychological damage, and to be deprived of their Constitutional         liberties 

         		1.10without due process of law because they were assumed to be disloyal; and

         		 1.11WHEREAS, Japanese Americans demonstrated incredible patriotism to the United States 

         		1.12of America by volunteering to serve in the United States military, including its Military         Intelligence 

         		1.13Service whose Language School was based at Camp Savage in Savage, Minnesota, and later         at Fort 

         		1.14Snelling; and

         		 1.15WHEREAS, about 6,000 Japanese American officers and enlisted men graduated from Camp 

         		1.16Savage and Fort Snelling after intensive and accelerated training in the Japanese         military language, 

         		1.17becoming the eyes and ears of the Allied Forces which fought the Japanese forces in         the Pacific 

         		1.18battles, with acclaim by General Willoughby, Chief Intelligence for General MacArthur,         for 

         		1.19shortening the war by two years; and

         		 1.20WHEREAS, the efforts of Japanese American linguists in the Military Intelligence resulted         

         		1.21in the successful Occupation and democratization of Japan after World War II; and

         		 1.22WHEREAS, the U.S. Army's segregated 100th Infantry Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat 

         		1.23Team, composed of about 18,000 Japanese American volunteers, including those recruited         from 

         		1.24American concentration camps and Hawaii, suffered about 800 killed or missing in action,         and 

         		1.25became the most decorated American unit of its size and length of service, with seven         Presidential 

         		2.1Unit Citations, 21 Congressional Medals of Honor, 52 Distinguished Service Crosses,         one 

         		2.2Distinguished Service Medal, 588 Silver Stars, 22 Legions of Merit, 15 Soldier's Medals,         over 

         		2.35,200 Bronze Stars, 9,486 Purple Hearts, and a total of 18 decorations from France         and Italy; and

         		 2.4WHEREAS, no American citizens or permanent legal residents of Japanese ancestry were 

         		2.5charged with espionage or sabotage or other crimes against the United States during         World War 

         		2.6II, and it was found that the government had suppressed critical information from         our own 

         		2.7intelligence agencies that previously determined that there was no military necessity         for incarceration 

         		2.8orders, leading the United States Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment         of Civilians 

         		2.9to conclude in 1982 that the incarceration was motivated by racial prejudice, wartime         hysteria and 

         		2.10a failure of political leadership, which subsequently resulted in Congress and then-President         Ronald 

         		2.11Reagan to issue an apology for violations of the basic civil liberties and constitutional         rights of 

         		2.12these individuals; and

         		 2.13WHEREAS, patriotic Japanese Americans relocated to our great state of Minnesota, 

         		2.14establishing residency in this state, and continuing as upstanding citizens to raise         families, work, 

         		2.15and contribute to the economic and moral fiber of our community through high civic         standards; 

         		2.16and

         		 2.17NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the State of Minnesota that 

         		2.18it, along with the people of Minnesota, pause in its endeavors on February 19, 2017,         the 75th 

         		2.19anniversary of Executive Order 9066, to recognize Japanese American incarcerees and         World War 

         		2.20II military personnel from the state of Minnesota, honor their sacrifice and patriotic         loyalty, and 

         		2.21remember the lessons and blessings of liberty and justice for all.

         		2.22BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is directed to prepare an 

         		2.23enrolled copy of this resolution, to be authenticated by the Secretary's  signature         and that of the 

         		2.24Chair of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, and transmit it to the Twin         Cities Chapter 

         		2.25of the Japanese American Citizens League and the Japanese American Veterans of Minnesota.

         		         
                                                
                              Cal R. LudemanSecretary of the Senate               Paul E. GazelkaChair, Senate Committee onRules and Administration            
         
         
                                                
                                             Sandra L. PappasState Senator, District 65

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