Bill Overview
Title: Japanese American World War II History Network Act
Description: This bill directs the Department of the Interior to establish the Japanese American World War II History Network within the National Park Service. In carrying out the network, Interior shall review studies and reports to complement and not duplicate studies of Japanese American World War II history and Japanese American experiences during World War II, including studies related to relocation centers and confinement sites; and produce and disseminate appropriate educational materials, such as handbooks, maps, interpretive guides, or electronic information relating to Japanese American World War II history and Japanese American experiences during that war.
Sponsors: Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals interested or affected by Japanese American World War II history documentation and education
Estimated Size: 5000000
- The bill aims to educate about Japanese American World War II history, thus directly impacting individuals interested or involved in promoting, studying, or educating others on this topic.
- Educators and students focusing on American history or ethnic studies will be directly impacted as they will have additional resources.
- Japanese Americans and their descendants who have a personal or communal interest in this history will be positively impacted by increased visibility and educational efforts.
- The general American public may be indirectly impacted by having greater access to resources and education regarding Japanese American history.
- Globally, the bill's educational efforts may influence historians, educators, or researchers interested in World War II history and its varied impacts.
Reasoning
- The policy will directly benefit Japanese Americans and others interested in this history by providing additional educational resources and preserving important aspects of their history and culture. This includes historians, students, educators, and museum curators.
- Given the policy's educational focus, the benefit might not be immediate in terms of Cantril scores but is expected to improve engagement and understanding over time, more so in the medium to long term.
- The budget constraints limit the scale but the long-term nature and structured educational focus should help efficiently target resources where they are most impactful.
- The policy might have little to no direct impact on those who are neither involved in education or history-related fields nor have a personal connection or interest in Japanese American history.
Simulated Interviews
High School History Teacher (Seattle, WA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe this policy will provide essential resources that can help me enrich my curriculum. It's important for students to understand these stories.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Retired (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This is an important initiative. I wish there were efforts like this when I was younger.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Freelance Writer (Chicago, IL)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm excited to see more content being created about Japanese American history; it broadens the scope of narratives I can write about.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Graduate Student (Boston, MA)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Access to these resources will greatly aid my research on ethnic studies, particularly in understanding the dynamics of Japanese American identity.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 9 |
Museum Curator (Denver, CO)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hopeful this network can provide us with access to more artifacts and stories to enrich our upcoming exhibit.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Software Developer (Houston, TX)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't see how this policy directly impacts my life or work, though I'm supportive of historical preservation efforts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
College Student (New York, NY)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This initiative is vital for spreading knowledge about our cultural history, which is often overlooked.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Public Librarian (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- With access to more resources, libraries can play a crucial role in educating the public about these important historical events.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Retired Military (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 65 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having a broader understanding of WWII from different perspectives is valuable to everyone, including the military community.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Historian (Portland, OR)
Age: 33 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The creation of the network is timely and much needed. It will aid historians like myself in having access to centralized resources.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $2500000 (Low: $2000000, High: $3000000)
Year 2: $2250000 (Low: $1800000, High: $2700000)
Year 3: $2100000 (Low: $1600000, High: $2600000)
Year 5: $2000000 (Low: $1500000, High: $2500000)
Year 10: $1900000 (Low: $1400000, High: $2400000)
Year 100: $1500000 (Low: $1200000, High: $2000000)
Key Considerations
- Recognition and awareness of Japanese American history during WWII could promote cultural understanding and reconciliation.
- The financing of the program could see increased costs vs. actual public benefits; measuring the qualitative impacts will be essential to justify expenditures.
- This network can potentially enhance educational resources significantly, affecting local communities and historical sites.