Jim Sensenbrenner: “I think that probably the key part of this resolution is that it gives Congressional recognition to the remembrances…”

“I think that probably the key part of this resolution is that it gives Congressional recognition to the remembrances that occur on February 19 of each year, because we should not forget about the egregious error that President Roosevelt committed against the civil liberties of the Japanese Americans when he signed the executive order that resulted in their internment. The only way we will not forget is by having a remembrance that occurs, so that from one generation to the next people will see that the United States of America made a bad mistake. This resolution will come and go and maybe it will be forgotten and maybe it will not be forgotten, but the annual remembrances on February 19 will make sure that the violation of civil liberties will not be forgotten, and that is the preventive to make sure that this never happens again. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the resolution.”