Utah senator drops opposition, internment camp bill advances

DENVER (AP) — A proposal to create a national historic site at a former World War II Japanese American internment camp in Colorado has passed the U.S. Senate after Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee dropped his objections to adding more land to the federal government’s portfolio. The bipartisan bill to make Camp Amache part of the National Park System now goes to the House for final consideration. Its Senate passage Monday (Feb. 14, 2022) comes just before the 80th anniversary of President Franklin Roosevelt’s order that led to the forced internment of 120,000 Japanese Americans. The Amache National Historic Site Act would make the Colorado landmark eligible for additional preservation assistance.