Department of State Washington File: Text: Lawmaker Submits Bill to Aid Filipino WWII Veterans

*EPF412 02/13/2003
Text: Lawmaker Submits Bill to Aid Filipino WWII Veterans
(HR 664 to allow Filipino veterans U.S. veterans' benefits) (1400)

Representative Robert Filner (Democrat of California) urged lawmakers in a February 11 speech in the House of Representatives to back his bill (H.R. 664) to provide Filipino veterans of World War II with veteran benefits similar to those of U.S. servicemen who fought beside them.

"We owe not only a debt of gratitude to these brave veterans, but we owe them recognition as veterans of the United States military," Filner said.

"We owe them the benefits they were promised," he added. The Filipino veterans, now in their 70s and 80s, Filner said, "are in desperate need of health care, and approximately five veterans are dying each day."

Filner, whose Congressional District has one of the highest concentrations of Filipino-Americans in the country, has championed the cause of Filipinos who served the United States in the Second World War.

"There is overwhelming support for H.R. 664," Filner told lawmakers.

"We must quickly pass this bill to begin the process of restoring benefits that are deserved by the Filipino World War II veterans," he said.

H.R. 664 would amend title 38, United States Code, "to improve benefits for Filipino veterans of World War II and surviving spouses of such veterans," according to the Congressional Record. It is similar to a bill, H.R. 677, introduced by Representative Randy Cunningham (Republican of California) the same day.

Following is the text of H.R. 664 and the remarks by Representative Robert Filner February 11 from the Congressional Record:

(begin text)

IT IS TIME TO KEEP OUR PROMISE TO
FILIPINO VETERANS OF WORLD WAR II

HON. BOB FILNER OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2003

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, I rise today to ask for the support of my colleagues for H.R. 664, ``The Health Care for Filipino World War II Veterans Act.''

Almost 60 years ago, President Franklin D. Roosevelt drafted the soldiers of the Philippines into service in World War II, because the Philippine was a territory of the United States at that time. Fighting side-by-side with soldiers from the United States mainland, the Filipino soldiers were instrumental in the successful outcome of the war. However, shortly after the war's end in 1946, Congress passed the Rescissions Act, which took away promised benefits from many of the Filipino veterans and declared that their service was deemed not to be service in the military forces of the United States.

We owe not only a debt of gratitude to these brave veterans, but we owe them recognition as veterans of the United States military. And we owe them the benefits they were promised! Now in their 70s and 80s, they are in desperate need of health care, and approximately five veterans are dying each day.

I have introduced, H.R. 664, with a number of original co-sponsors from both parties, including Congressmembers SIMMONS, EVANS, CUNNINGHAM, PELOSI, ISSA, ROHRABACHER, ABERCROMBIE, MILLENDER-MCDONALD, TIAHRT, LOFGREN, AND SCOTT. This bill would provide access to VA medical facilities for the Filipino veterans who are now living in the United States and would restore the designation of veteran to these brave men.

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Anthony Principi, testified in a June 13, 2002 hearing before the VA Health Subcommittee in support of H.R. 4904, the version of this bill in the 107th session. The House of Representatives passed these health care benefits on July 22, 2002 but they were unable to get passed by the Senate before adjournment of last year's session. Senator INOUYE has reintroduced a similar bill in the 108th session in the Senate (S. 68).

There is overwhelming support for H.R. 664. We must quickly pass this bill to begin the process of restoring benefits that are deserved by the Filipino World War II veterans.

Health Care for Filipino World War II Veterans Act

Introduced in House
HR 664 IH
108th CONGRESS
1st Session

H. R. 664

To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve benefits for Filipino veterans of World War II and surviving spouses of such veterans, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 11, 2003

Mr. FILNER (for himself, Mr. SIMMONS, Mr. EVANS, Mr. CUNNINGHAM, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. ISSA, Ms. LOFGREN, Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD, Mr. TIAHRT, and Mr. ABERCROMBIE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve benefits for Filipino veterans of World War II and surviving spouses of such veterans, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Health Care for Filipino World War II Veterans Act'.

SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY FOR HEALTH CARE OF CERTAIN ADDITIONAL FILIPINO WORLD WAR II VETERANS RESIDING IN THE UNITED STATES.

The text of section 1734 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

`(a) The Secretary shall furnish hospital and nursing home care and medical services to any individual described in subsection (b) in the same manner, and subject to the same terms and conditions, as apply to the furnishing of such care and services to individuals who are veterans as defined in section 101(2) of this title. Any disability of an individual described in subsection (b) that is a service-connected disability for purposes of this subchapter (as provided for under section 1735(2) of this title) shall be considered to be a service-connected disability for purposes of furnishing care and services under the preceding sentence.

`(b) Subsection (a) applies to any individual who is a Commonwealth Army veteran or new Philippine Scout and who--

`(1) is residing in the United States; and

`(2) is a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence.'.

SEC. 3. RATE OF PAYMENT OF DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION FOR SURVIVING SPOUSES OF CERTAIN FILIPINO VETERANS.

(a) RATE OF PAYMENT- Subsection (c) of section 107 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting `, and under chapter 13 of this title,' after `chapter 11 of this title'.

(b) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply to benefits paid for months beginning on or after that date.

SEC. 4. RATE OF PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION BENEFITS FOR NEW PHILIPPINE SCOUTS RESIDING IN THE UNITED STATES.

(a) RATE OF PAYMENT- Section 107 of title 38, United States Code, as amended by section 3(a), is further amended--

(1) in the second sentence of subsection (b), by striking `Payments' and inserting `Except as provided in subsection (c) or (d), payments'; and

(2) in subsection (c)--

(A) by inserting `or (b)' after `subsection (a)' the first place it appears; and

(B) by striking `subsection (a)' the second place it appears and inserting `the applicable subsection'.

(b) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply to benefits paid for months beginning on or after that date.

SEC. 5. BURIAL BENEFITS FOR NEW PHILIPPINE SCOUTS.

(a) BENEFIT ELIGIBILITY- Subsection (b)(2) of section 107 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--

(1) by striking `and'; and

(2) by inserting `, 23, and 24 (to the extent provided for in section 2402(8) of this title)' after `1312(a))'.

(b) BENEFIT RATE FOR CERTAIN PERSONS IN THE UNITED STATES- Subsection (d) of such section is amended--

(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting `or subsection (b), as the case may be,' after `subsection (a)'; and

(2) in paragraph (2), by inserting `, or whose service is described in subsection (b) and who dies on or after the date of the enactment of the Health Care for Filipino World War II Veterans Act' in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) after `this subsection'.

(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT- Section 2402(8) of such title is amended by inserting `or 107(b)' after `107(a)'.

(d) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to deaths occurring on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(end text)

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