Letter to Congressional Leaders on Legislation To Provide Restitution for Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians

August 1, 1988

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Bob:)

We welcome the action of the House-Senate conference on H.R. 442, a bill to provide compensation for Americans of Japanese descent interned in the United States during the Second World War. The bill reported from the conference and passed by the Senate on July 27 is substantially improved over the versions of the bill previously considered.

We are particularly pleased that the bill provides for a measured disbursement of the amounts authorized for the trust fund and ensures that acceptance of compensation under the legislation fully satisfies claims against the United States based on the unique circumstances of the internment.

The enactment of H.R. 442 will close a sad chapter in American history in a way that reaffirms America's commitment to the preservation of liberty and justice for all.

I urge the House of Representatives to act swiftly and favorably on the bill.

Sincerely,

Ronald Reagan

Note: Identical letters were sent to Jim Wright, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Robert H. Michel, ranking minority member of the House of Representatives. The letter was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on August 2.