Mark Takano: “It is an honor to serve as the ranking member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Today, I rise to recognize one…”

“It is an honor to serve as the ranking member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Today, I rise to recognize one veteran in particular, my great uncle, Manzo Takahashi. Uncle Mon served in the legendary 442nd Infantry Battalion and gave his life in service to our Nation on this very day 80 years ago. He gave the last full measure of devotion while his family, my grandparents and parents, were incarcerated in camps simply because they were Japanese Americans. Uncle Mon's story is just one of nearly 18,000 Japanese-American soldiers who embodied the motto Go for Broke. They risked everything for a country that had denied them so much because they believed in the promise of America. Yet, that promise is fragile. The Trump administration erased the story of the 442nd from the Army's website and now seeks to gut the care that our veterans have earned. We cannot let that happen. To truly honor our veterans, we must defend their legacy, protect their stories, and uphold the Nation that they fought to build. Mr. Speaker, that is the debt we owe them. ____________________”