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Washington Senate adopts resolution marking signing of Executive Order 9066

Washington State Senate ยท February 18, 2026

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Summary

The Washington State Senate adopted Senate Resolution 8687 recognizing the 80th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, recalling the forced removal and incarceration of Japanese Americans and honoring veterans, incarcerees and civil-rights activists. Lawmakers urged remembrance to prevent repetition.

The Washington State Senate on the floor adopted Senate Resolution 8687, pausing to recognize the anniversary of Executive Order 9066 and to honor Japanese American veterans, incarcerees and civil-rights activists. Senator Hasegawa moved for adoption and framed the resolution as a call to remember a U.S. policy that forcibly removed and incarcerated Japanese Americans during World War II.

Senator Hasegawa, who introduced the measure, described the personal impact of the policy: "They were denied due process and imprisoned for 3 and a half to 4 years," he said, noting his parents and extended family were among those interned and recounting temporary holding at Camp Harmony before relocation to Minidoka, Idaho. The resolution text read into the record states that more than 120,000 persons of Japanese ancestry were removed from the West Coast, including 12,000 Washington residents.

The resolution recites historical findings, including the 1982 Congressional Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians conclusion that the incarceration was driven by racial prejudice and failed political leadership, and it notes the later Civil Liberties Act of 1988. In urging adoption, senators emphasized the need to learn from history. "Let it not happen again," Senator Hasegawa said on the floor.

Other senators offered support and personal reflections. Senator Short said annual recognition ensures future generations do not repeat past injustices, and Senator Wagner cited local families who suffered internment and later contributed to their communities. The presiding officer characterized the internment as "the worst violation of civil rights in American history," and the Senate approved the resolution by voice vote with the ayes prevailing.

The resolution directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit copies to community organizations named in the text and calls on the chamber to reflect on the responsibilities of the phrase "liberty and justice for all." The adoption was a procedural voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded on the floor during the session. The Senate later proceeded to other business and adjourned as scheduled.