JACL Newsletter Diablo Valley

              DIABLO  WXAXLEY
JAPANESE AMERICAN CITIZENS LEAGUE
SERVING CENTRAL AND EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
April 1992 EDITOR: Ellen & Ed Kubokawa (680-2621)
PRODUCTION: Ellen & Ed/Sumi & Jack Nakashima
Next Newsletter Deadline: May 7, 1992;  Editors: Ellen & Ed Kubokawa
REDRESS ALERT - IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED BY MEMBERS & FRIENDS
REDRESS FUNDING INSUFFICIENT TO COVER CLAIMS -
When Congress passed the CIVIL LIBERTIES ACT OF 1988 it was estimated that about
60,000 eligible claimants were living at that time. However, it now appears the
Dept. of Justice estimate was too low and an additional $320 MILLION will be needed
to fulfill all commitments made under the Act.
To remedy this 320 MILLION shortfall, House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-MO)
and House Republican Whip Newt Gingrich (R-GA) introduced a bill on 3/24/92 with
OVER 50 CO-SPONSORS, and a hearing was held on March 26th by the Sub-Committee on
Administrative Law & Govt. Relations.
The bill will come before the full Judiciary Committee by early May for "mark-up"
so we MUST:
1) Send letters to our Representatives in the House urging support of
HR 4551 THE CIVIL LIBERTIES ACT AMENDMENTS OF 1992
2) Send letters to Judiciary Committee members
3) Visit our Representatives when they are back in the district (April 13-24)
to urge support and co-sponsorship of the bill.
For more information contact:  Karen Narasaki or Sonya Chung
JACL WASHINGTON D.C. OFFICE
(202) 223-1240
SAMPLE LETTER - SAMPLE LETTER-SAMPLE LETTER -
The Honorable 	
United States House of Representatives
Washington D.C, 20515
Dear Representative
I am writing to urge you to co-sponsor and support THE CIVIL LIBERTIES ACT
AMENDMENTS OF 1992, H.R.4551, which would provide additional funding necessary to
fulfill the commitments of the CIVIL LIBERTIES ACT OF 1988 (Public Law 100-383).
The CIVIL LIBERTIES ACT OF 1988 formally apologizes and provides redress to Japanese
Americans who were forcibly interned during World War II by the United States.
Congress must fulfill its commitment and uphold the spirit and intent of the Act
by authorizing additional funding necessary to complete redress payments to all
eligible internees and claimants, as well as finance the EDUCATION FUND as provided
under the Act.
The passage of The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 was a historic event for it restored
integrity to our nation's Constitution, and I urge support of the Civil Liberties
Act Amendments of 1992, H.R.4551, to complete the restoration process initiated
under the Civil Liberties Act of 1988.
Sincerely,
COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY
2138 Rayburn House Office Bldg., Washington D.C, 20515-6216  (202)225-3951
MAJORITY MEMBERS: Chairman: Jack Brooks, TX; Vice Chairman: Don Edwards, CA;
John Conyers, Jr., MI; Romano L. Mazzoli, KY; Win. J. Hughes, NJ; Mike Synar, OK;
Patricia Schroeder, CO; Dan Glickman, KS; Barney Frank, MA; Charles E. Schumer, NY;
Edward F. Feighan, OH; Howard L. Berman, CA; Rick Boucher, VA; Harley 0. Staggers, Jr.
WV, John Bryant, TX, Mel Levine, CA, George E. Sangmeister, IL, Craig A. Washington,
TX; Peter Hoagland, NE; Mike Kopetski, OR; Jack Reed, RI.
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