On Tuesday, March 29th, 2022, DC Chapter board members Julie Abo (Vice President), Janice Nakano Faden (Community Engagement & Civil Liberties Liaison), Bridget Keaveney (Member at Large) and John Tobe (Member at Large) joined JACL Policy Fellow Alex Shinkawa and Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow Michelle Magalong for virtual legislative visits with the offices of  Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md) and Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md). Their visits come as a result of JACSC (Japanese American Confinement Sites Consortium)‘s Week of Action, which officially kicked off on Monday, March 21st. This year’s meetings take place during congress’ district workweek (March 21st – 25th, 2022), which allows constituents and participating members the chance to meet with their members locally, either in person or virtually.
Participants of Tuesday’s meeting had the opportunity to advocate for the Japanese American Confinement Education (JACE) Act, which would not only extend the Japanese American Confinement Sites (JACS) Program by authorizing another $32 million dollars in funding, but also authorize an additional $10 million over 5 years to be used by Japanese American organizations to educate the public on the Japanese American incarceration experience, and emphasize the importance of historical preservation. The JACE Act is modeled after the recently passed Never Again Education Act (H.R. 943) which expanded the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s education programming. The JACS Program (H.R. 1931) passed unanimously in the House on March 15, 2022 and now moves to the Senate (S988).
As a chapter, we not only support JACSC and the great work they do, but we also collectively ask that members of the Senate:
- Cosponsor S988.
- Call on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee for a hearing on the HR 1931 House bill.
- Continue to fund the JACS program at a minimum $3.1 million for FY(Fiscal Year)2023.
To further support the JACS program, click the link below:
To learn more about JACS and JACE, click the listed site below:
JACL DC 