Bush Signs Bill Expanding Borders of Minidoka Monument
The massive public lands bill also designates Bainbridge Island's Nidoto Nai Yoni Memorial a part of the national park system.
With a stroke of his presidential pen, Bush signed into law a bill that expands the borders of the Minidoka Internment National Monument and designates Bainbridge Island's Nidoto Nai Yoni memorial a part of the national park system.
The massive public lands bill, better known as the Wild Sky wilderness bill, was passed by the House on April 29 and Bush added his signature on May 8.
"This memorial proclaims that we should never again sacrifice liberty at the altar of fear," said Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Bainbridge.
The Nidoto Nai Yoni memorial on Eagle Harbor in Washington will now become a satellite of the historic Minidoka Internment National Monument in southern Idaho. Minidoka was designated a National Monument in 2001.
The Bainbridge Island memorial marks the place where 227 Japanese American residents were taken to the Eagledale ferry dock before being sent to internment camps in rural Idaho and California's Mojave Desert during World War II.
Almost two thirds of the JAs were American citizens.
Inslee first introduced the Nidoto Nai Yoni memorial bill in the House in February 2007 and in April it was attached to a massive public lands bill which also called for expanding the border of the Minidoka Monument in Idaho.
"I am happy to see this legislation finally signed into law," said Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho "The Minidoka internment camp gives Idaho a unique place in history. This legislation will ensure that future generations will learn important lessons from a critical time in our nation's history."
Simpson and Sens. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Larry Craig, R-Idaho, authored the Minidoka expansion provision that was included in S. 2739, the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008.
Minidoka, also referred to as the Hunt Camp, was the largest of the WWII internment camps that displaced more than 120,000 JAs during the War.
The Nidoto Nai Yoni memorial's inclusion in the national park system will give the site a higher profile and may lead to needed federal dollars to complete the $5 million project.
The JACL, along with other groups, had been pushing for the bill's passage. Floyd Mori, JACL national director, commended those who worked on the bill and praised the members of Congress who were instrumental in its passage.
"Americans will now be able to more fully realize the importance of lessons of justice and our country's history through the Minidoka National Historic Site," said Emily Momohara, chair of Friends of Minidoka.
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