STAND. COM. REP. NO.1434

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: H.C.R. No. 50

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 50 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING EQUAL TREATMENT FOR JAPANESE LATIN AMERICANS INTERNED IN THE UNITED STATES DURING WORLD WAR II,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to urge Hawaii's congressional delegation to support and co-sponsor legislation in Congress to equalize reparations for Japanese of Latin American ancestry interned during World War II.

Supportive testimony was submitted by four concerned citizens.

Your Committee believes that the passage of federal legislation is needed to rectify the discrepancy between the reparations given to Japanese Americans and Japanese Latin Americans who were interned during World War II. Accordingly, your Committee asserts that this measure will demonstrate the Legislature's support for efforts to provide equitable redress to Japanese Latin Americans.

As a matter of justice, your Committee urges Hawaii's congressional delegation to also lobby for federal legislation that would expunge the records of all interned Japanese Latin Americans that classify the former internees as "illegal aliens".

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 50 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

ERIC G. HAMAKAWA, Chair