Bill Overview
Title: Norman Y. Mineta Japanese American Confinement Education Act
Description: This bill increases the authorization of appropriations for the Japanese American Confinement Sites (JACS) grant program, which supports the preservation of U.S. confinement sites that were used to detain Japanese Americans during World War II (i.e., internment camps). It also establishes a program within JACS to provide grants to Japanese American nonprofits to educate individuals about the historical significance of these events.
Sponsors: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
Target Audience
Population: Japanese Americans
Estimated Size: 1400000
- The bill focuses on the Japanese American Confinement Sites (JACS) grant program which preserves sites used for detaining Japanese Americans during WWII.
- It specifically aims to educate individuals about the historical significance of Japanese American internment.
- The bill targets Japanese American nonprofits, indicating the direct involvement of Japanese American communities.
- Japanese Americans are primarily impacted as the bill pertains to their history and heritage, and the educational efforts aim to preserve and share their experiences.
- The educational aspect may have a broader impact by informing the general public, but the primary impact is on Japanese Americans.
Reasoning
- The primary beneficiaries of the policy are the Japanese American community in the U.S., estimated at around 1.4 million people.
- The policy focuses on historical education and site preservation, potentially impacting cultural heritage and community awareness.
- Educational benefits may extend to the broader public, though the direct impact is concentrated on Japanese Americans.
- Given budget constraints, not all community members will be directly impacted within year one, but broader effects might accumulate over time.
- The nature of the policy emphasizes long-term historical and cultural understanding, which may have varying degrees of impact on individual well-being.
Simulated Interviews
History professor (California)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could help integrate more comprehensive lessons about the internment camps into educational curricula.
- As someone who researches this history, I'm hopeful about more resources becoming available.
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 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Retired engineer (New York)
Age: 62 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think it's crucial that the younger generation understands what happened during World War II.
- I'm optimistic about the improvements this funding can make at our heritage center.
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 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Non-profit employee (Hawaii)
Age: 28 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our community's efforts to preserve internment camp sites could really benefit from this additional funding.
- It's an opportunity to strengthen our cultural organizations and educational programs.
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 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Graphic designer (Texas)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If the policy leads to more public awareness, that'd be great. I didn't know much about internment camps before.
- I support initiatives that expand cultural understanding.
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 |
Community organizer (Washington)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could empower more activism and education within our community.
- Ensuring these stories aren't forgotten is essential for future generations.
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 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
College student (Illinois)
Age: 18 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Learning about the funding opportunities for cultural education is inspiring.
- I didn't know about this part of history in detail, more support for these stories is positive.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Journalist (Oregon)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Extra funding for site preservation and education is likely to result in more stories being shared.
- This policy could provide material for more investigative stories and public awareness.
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 teacher (California)
Age: 70 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's reassuring to see measures to preserve sites from my past.
- I hope this can preserve stories for my grandchildren.
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 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Marketing consultant (Nevada)
Age: 36 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- My husband's family could directly benefit from this type of grant program.
- Understanding our extended family's history better is a positive aspect.
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 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
High school teacher (New Jersey)
Age: 58 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This initiative could provide valuable resources for my history classes.
- Expanding educational resources around these camps is a step forward.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $3000000 (Low: $2500000, High: $3500000)
Year 2: $3000000 (Low: $2500000, High: $3500000)
Year 3: $3000000 (Low: $2500000, High: $3500000)
Year 5: $3000000 (Low: $2500000, High: $3500000)
Year 10: $3000000 (Low: $2500000, High: $3500000)
Year 100: $3000000 (Low: $2500000, High: $3500000)
Key Considerations
- The bill focuses primarily on preserving historical sites and education, which are not profit-generating and require consistent funding.
- There is a potential cultural benefit and increased awareness about Japanese American history, but those are qualitative rather than quantitative impacts.
- Long-term societal benefits might include increased cultural understanding and historical knowledge.