STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3204

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 109

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 109 entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION STRONGLY SUPPORTING THE PASSAGE AND ENACTMENT INTO LAW OF S. 1315, THE VETERANS BENEFITS ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2007, IN SUPPORT OF FILIPINO VETERANS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to support the provision of full federal veteran benefits and services to approximately eighteen thousand Filipino wartime veterans that served the United States in World War II.

 

     Your Committee did not receive any testimony on this measure.

 

     Your Committee finds that from 1941-1946, tens of thousands of Filipino soldiers were held as prisoners, risking their lives and the lives of their families while maintaining underground battles against the invading Japanese forces and boldly assisting the United States Armed Forces in its campaign to liberate the Philippines.

 

     Your Committee finds that these Filipino wartime veterans, many of whom were permanently disabled and honorably discharged from the military after serving more than ninety days on active duty military service during World War II are eligible for federal veterans' benefits and services.  Former President Bill Clinton, President George W. Bush and the United States Congress by H.R. 622/S. 387 recognized the vital role that the Filipino wartime soldiers played in assisting the United States Armed Forces.

 

     Your Committee further recognizes that despite these formal acknowledgments of the Filipino American veterans' contributions to the cause of the United States during World War II, they still have not received full veterans' benefits and services from the federal government.  Senator Daniel Akaka, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs therefore introduced S. 1315, the Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007, to address these concerns.  Your Committee strongly supports the passage and enactment into law of S. 1315, which provides Filipino war veterans with their long awaited veteran benefits and services.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 109 and recommends its adoption.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair