Mike Honda: “I rise today express my support for the Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations (CJS) conference report, an extremely…”

“I rise today express my support for the Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations (CJS) conference report, an extremely important measure for this nation at this time, but I must also express my profound disappointment that a provision that was in both the House and Senate versions of the bill did not make it into the final the conference report. The CJS conference report is important for this nation because it provides a $5.6 billion for the Immigration and Naturalization Service, $3.5 billion for the FBI, and $185 million for the Advanced Technology Program, all areas that are important to meet the new challenges we face as a nation today. Other programs that are funded under this bill that I strongly support are the Violence Against Women Act and the Minority Business Development Agency. However, I feel that the provision that was stricken should have been kept in the bill. The provision simply stated: None of the funds made available in this act may be used by the Department of Justice or the Department of State to file a motion in this court opposing the civil action against any Japanese person or corporations for compensation or reparation in which the plaintiff alleges that as an American prisoner of during World War II, he or she was used as slave or forced labor.”