The Aleut Restitution Act of 1988 (also known as the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands Restitution Act) was a reparation

War reparations

War reparations are payments intended to cover damage or injury during a war. Generally, the term war reparations refers to money or goods changing hands, rather than such property transfers as the annexation of land.- History :...

 settlement passed by the United States Congress

United States Congress

The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....

 in 1988, in response to the internment

Internment

Internment is the imprisonment or confinement of people, commonly in large groups, without trial. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the meaning as: "The action of 'interning'; confinement within the limits of a country or place." Most modern usage is about individuals, and there is a distinction...

 of Aleut people living in the Aleutian Islands during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

.

Before the Japanese invasion of Attu and Kiska

Battle of the Aleutian Islands

The Aleutian Islands Campaign was a struggle over the Aleutian Islands, part of Alaska, in the Pacific campaign of World War II starting on 3 June 1942. A small Japanese force occupied the islands of Attu and Kiska, but the remoteness of the islands and the difficulties of weather and terrain meant...

 in 1942, the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 forcibly evacuated some 800 Aleuts to camps in Southeast Alaska

Alaska Panhandle

Southeast Alaska, sometimes referred to as the Alaska Panhandle, is the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Alaska, which lies west of the northern half of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The majority of Southeast Alaska's area is part of the Tongass National Forest, the United...

, where it is estimated that more than 1 in 10 evacuees perished.

Proposal of the Aleutian and Pribilof Restitution Act (1987)

The bill was introduced on January 6, 1987 by Representative Thomas S. Foley, along with 166 co-sponsors. It declared the following:

1. The Aleut civilian
   Civilian
   A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
   
    residents of certain islands who were relocated during World War II remained relocated long after any potential danger had passed.
2. The United States failed to provide reasonable care for the Aleuts, resulting in illness, disease, and death, and failed to protect Aleut personal and community property.
3. The United States has not compensated the Aleuts adequately.
4. There is no remedy for injustices suffered by the Aleuts except an Act of Congress.

Under the new bill, a trust fund was established to be used "for the benefit of the following people and purposes":

1. The elderly, disabled, or seriously ill
2. Students in need of scholarship assistance
3. Preservation of Aleut cultural heritage and historical records
4. The improvement of community centers in affected Aleut villages, and
5. Other purposes to improve Aleut life.

For each eligible Aleut, $12,000 was paid to compensate for any personal property losses sustained during the war.

Amendment to the Aleutian and Pribilof Restitution Act (1993)

On September 14, 1993, an amendment was proposed to the original 1988 Restitution Act, increasing authorization for payments from $1,400,000 to $4,700,000, in order to include church property damaged or lost during the war. The bill was passed by the House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

 and the Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

, and the Act was amended on October 5, 1994.

See also

• Aleut
• Aleutian Islands
• Outline of United States federal indian law and policy
  Outline of United States federal Indian law and policy
  Law and U.S. public policy related to Native Americans has evolved continuously since the founding of the United States. This outline lists notable people, organizations, events, legislation, treaties, court cases and literature related to United States Federal Indian Law and Policy.-U.S. Supreme...