Rep. Lofgren Releases Statement on Japanese American Museum of San Jose

U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose)today released the following statement in support of her request forfederal assistance for the Japanese American Museum of San Jose.

The Japanese American Museum of San Jose exists to highlight themany contributions that Japanese-Americans have made to Santa ClaraCounty and our country. The museum houses exhibits that honor the tensof thousands of Japanese-Americans who were forcibly relocated andinterned during World War II, the heroic efforts of the 442nd regiment(the most highly decorated military unit of its size in the history ofthe U.S.), and Japanese-Americans who served in the MilitaryIntelligence Service (MIS) in the Pacific Theater. The museum'scompletion will help generate additional tourism to San Jose'sJapantown, one of the last three remaining Japantowns in the USA, whichin turn generates jobs and income for local businesses. I was honoredto have sponsored the request for funds to complete the museum'sconstruction. The $237,500 that the federal government has allocated isless than 10 percent of the total funds that have already been securedfor this project and will help push the already started constructionover the finish line.

Senator McCain represents a state that receives $1.19 for everydollar it pays into the federal treasury so it seems surprising that hewould attack funding for a project in California, a state that receives78 cents for every dollar it pays into the federal treasury. I wouldalso expect Senator McCain to recognize that the heroic militaryservice of Japanese-Americans deserves to be documented and passed onto future generations. We all agree with the need to eliminate "pork"in federal expenditures. But to consider the Japanese American Museumof San Jose "pork" instead of a monument to the multi-cultural historyof our Valley and to the sacrifices that Japanese-Americans have madefor their country is a serious even insulting mistake.