HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

186

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

Urging the United states congress to support the passage of s. 68, relating to improving benefits for filipino veterans of world war ii.

WHEREAS, on December 8, 1941, thousands of Filipino men and women responded to President Roosevelt's call for help to preserve peace and democracy in the Philippines; and

WHEREAS, during the dark days of World War II, nearly 100,000 soldiers of the Philippine Commonwealth Army provided a ray of hope in the Pacific as they fought alongside United States and Allied forces for four long years to defend and reclaim the Philippine Islands from Japanese aggression; and

WHEREAS, thousands more Filipinos joined U.S. Armed Forces immediately after the war and served in occupational duty throughout the Pacific Theater; and

WHEREAS, valiant Filipino soldiers fought, died, and suffered in some of the bloodiest battles of World War II, defending beleaguered Bataan and Corregidor, and thousands of Filipino prisoners of war endured the infamous Bataan Death March and years of captivity; and

WHEREAS, their many guerrilla actions slowed the Japanese takeover of the Western Pacific region and allowed U.S. forces the time to build and prepare for the allied counterattack on Japan; and

WHEREAS, Filipino troops fought side-by-side with U.S. forces to secure their island nation as the strategic base from which the final effort to defeat Japan was launched; and

WHEREAS, President William J. Clinton proclaimed

October 20, 1996, as a day honoring the Filipino Veterans of World War II, recalling the courage, sacrifice, and loyalty of Filipino veterans of World War II in defense of democracy and liberty; and

WHEREAS, for decades after their heroic service under the command of their leaders and General Douglas MacArthur, these men and women of Filipino-American national heritage were denied the benefits and privileges provided to their American compatriots who fought side-by-side with them; and

WHEREAS, the Rescission Act of 1946 withdrew the U.S. veteran's status of Filipino World War II soldiers, thereby denying them the benefits and compensation received by their American counterparts and soldiers of more than sixty-six other U.S. allied countries, who were similarly inducted into the U.S. military; and

WHEREAS, the Rescission Act discriminated against Filipinos, making them the only national group singled out for denial of full U.S. veterans status and benefits; and

WHEREAS, the passage of S. 68, now pending in the United States Senate, would extend full and equitable benefits, particularly health benefits, to Filipino veterans, considering their advanced age and poor health; and

WHEREAS, S. 68 proposes to amend Title 38 of the United States Code, to improve benefits for Filipino veterans of World War II and for the surviving spouses of those veterans; and

WHEREAS, S. 68 would increase the rate of payment of compensation benefits to certain Filipino veterans, designated in Title 38 United States Code section 107(b) and referred to as New Philippine Scouts, who reside in the United States and are United States citizens or lawful permanent resident aliens; and

WHEREAS, S. 68 would further increase the rate of payment of dependency and indemnity compensation of surviving spouses of certain Filipino veterans; and

WHEREAS, S. 68 would further make eligible for full disability pensions certain Filipino veterans who reside in the United States and are United States citizens or lawful permanent resident aliens; and

WHEREAS, S. 68 would further mandate the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide hospital and nursing home care and medical services for service-connected disabilities for any Filipino World War II veteran who resides in the United States and is a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident alien; and

WHEREAS, S. 68 would further require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish care and services to all Filipino World War II veterans for service-connected disabilities and nonservice-connected disabilities residing in the Republic of the Philippines on an outpatient basis at the Manila VA Outpatient Clinic; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-Second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2004, that the United States Congress is respectfully urged to support the passage of S. 68 to improve benefits for certain Filipino veterans of World War II; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the members of the Hawaii Congressional delegation, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Filipino Veterans of WWII; Passage of S. 68