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Wartime Violation of Italian American Civil Liberties Act

Public Law 106-451 · H.R. 2442 · 106th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Nov 7, 2000 · Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

Sponsor: Rep. Rick Lazio (R-NY-2)

Cosponsors (86): Rep. Eliot Engel,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Wartime Violation of Italian American Civil Liberties Act - Directs the Attorney General to conduct a comprehensive review of the treatment by the Federal Government of Italian Americans during World War II (between September 1, 1939, and December 31, 1945) and to report to Congress on the findings of such review. Requires the findings to include information regarding: (1) Italian Americans who were taken into custody, interned, ordered to move out of designated areas, or arrested for curfew, contraband, or other violations; (2) Federal Bureau of Investigations raids on Italian Americans homes; (3) restrictions on Italian American fishermen and railroad workers; and (4) civil liberties infringements suffered by Italian Americans during World War II as a result of Executive Order 9066.

Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the story of the treatment of Italian Americans during World War II needs to be told; (2) Federal agencies, including the Department of Education and the National Endowment for the Humanities, should support projects such as conferences, seminars, and lectures to heighten awareness of this unfortunate chapter in our nation's history, the refurbishment and payment of all expenses associated with the traveling exhibit "Una Storia Segreta," and documentaries allowing this issue to be presented to the American public; (3) an advisory committee should be established to assist in the compilation, research, and dissemination of information on the treatment of Italian Americans; and (4) financial support should be provided for educating the American public through the production of a documentary film suited for public broadcast.

Urges the President, on behalf of the Government, to formally acknowledge that these events during World War II represented a fundamental injustice against Italian Americans.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 17 actions.

  1. Nov 7, 2000Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 106-451.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Oct 26, 2000PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 24, 2000Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to by voice vote.
  6. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mrs. Bono moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments.
  7. Oct 19, 2000FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent.
  8. Sep 28, 2000CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
  9. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Judiciary Committee
  10. Nov 20, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
  11. Nov 10, 1999FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  12. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
  13. FloorFloor · Mr. Hyde moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  14. Oct 26, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  15. Sep 24, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  16. Jul 1, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
  17. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.