*EPF308 07/25/01
Resolution Urges Japan to Apologize for WWII Comfort Women
(Rep. Lane Evans introduces H. Con. Res. 195 July 24) (300)
By Steve La Rocque
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- Representative Lane Evans (Democrat of Illinois), the ranking Democrat on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, introduced a resolution July 24 calling on Japan to issue "a clear and unambiguous apology for the sexual enslavement of young women during colonial occupation of Asia and World War II."

House Concurrent Resolution 195 (H. Con. Res. 195) has 17 co-sponsors besides Evans, including Representative Nancy Pelosi (Democrat of California), a leading advocate for women's rights and crusader against human rights abuses in China; Representative Michael Honda (Democrat of California), who has co-sponsored legislation that would help American POWs from World War II to seek redress from the Japanese companies that exploited them as forced labor; and Representative Frank Wolf (Republican of Virginia), the co-chairman of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus.

H. Con. Res. 195 would express the "Sense of Congress" that the Japanese government should apologize for the sexual enslavement of young women in Asia who were used as "comfort women" by Japanese troops in Asia during World War II.

Evans, who also sits on the House Armed Services Committee, has often championed those who have suffered from the effects of war. He worked to get legislation passed that would provide benefits to the children of veterans exposed to Agent Orange, and has focused attention on the health concerns of veterans from the Gulf War.

H. Con. Res. 195 was referred to the House International Relations Committee.

(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
NNNN