Testimony of Dr. Philip R. Piccigallo, National Executive Director,

Order Sons of Italy in American to the Subcommittee on the Constitution

of the House Judiciary Committee on H.R. 2442, the "Wartime Violations of Italian

American Civil Liberties Act"

Tuesday, October 26, 1999, 9:30 a.m.

Good Morning, I am Dr. Philip Piccigallo, National Executive Director of the Order Sons of Italy in America, OSIA. OSIA is the largest and longest-existing organization of Italian Americans in the United States. Established in 1905, OSIA was founded by Dr. Vincenzo Sellaro with the purpose of bettering the lives of Italian immigrants and Italian Americans. Our creed states that we believe in the government of the United States and promise to abide by all laws as set forth by the U.S. Constitution; we believe in government by orderly process; we believe in respect for the land of our forefathers; we believe in the brotherhood of man; we believe in equal rights and duties for all; we believe in freedom of thought, conscience, and education.

OSIA's two not-for-profit branches, the Sons of Italy Foundation (SIF) and the Commission for Social Justice (CSJ), also strive to better the lives of all Americans. The SIF supports medical research, educations, disaster relief, cultural preservation, and many other special causes. The CSJ is the anti-defamation arm of OSIA that fights to ensure equality for all, especially Italian Americans.

It is based on these beliefs that OSIA endorses H.R. 2442, the "Wartime Violations of Italian American Civil Liberties Act." This legislation calls on the president of the United States, on behalf of the U.S. government, to acknowledge the atrocities towards Italian Americans during World War II. The legislation also calls for the Department of Justice to prepare and publish a comprehensive report detailing the government's systematic denial of human rights and freedoms of Italian Americans.

During World War II, about 600,000 Italian Americans were deemed enemy aliens -- forced from their homes, separated from their families, forced to give up everyday items like radios and flashlights, and even warned through posters hung around towns not to "speak the enemy language." Italian Americans that had been in the country since the turn of the century and even those who had children fighting in the armed services were subjected to these atrocities.

Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) and Rep. Rick Lazio (R-NY) are co-sponsoring this legislation which they originally introduced as H.R. 2090.