*EPF308 05/07/2003
Text: Rep. Millender-McDonald Introduces Bill to Aid Filipino Veterans
(HR 1984 seeks to provide veterans' benefits for World War II veterans) (570)

Recalling how Filipinos fought alongside Americans during the early days of World War II, when the forces of Imperial Japan swept down on the Philippines, Representative Juanita Millender-McDonald (Democrat of California) urged fellow lawmakers to back her bill to provide veterans' benefits to Filipinos who took part in that long-ago conflict.

Millender-McDonald introduced HR 1984 May 6 into the House of Representatives, and the proposed legislation was forwarded to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

"Proper recognition and honor of the military service of these Filipino veterans is long overdue," she said.

"I ask my colleagues to remember Corregidor and to support the Filipino Veterans Fairness Act," the California lawmaker said.

"My bill mirrors Senator Daniel Inouye's S. 68 and also guarantees Filipino veterans' representation in the Center for Minority Veterans, and ensures they receive the same social benefits like education, housing loans, vocational rehabilitation and job counseling as available to the American soldiers with whom they fought side by side in Corregidor," Millender-McDonald said.

Following is the text of Representative Millender-McDonald's May 6 remarks from the Congressional Record:

(begin text)

INTRODUCING THE FILIPINO VETERANS FAIRNESS ACT

SPEECH OF HON. JUANITA MILLENDER-McDONALD OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2003

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Filipino Veterans Fairness Act in commemoration of Corregidor Day, and all the Filipino veterans who fought against the Japanese Imperial Forces in defense of America.

Sixty-one years ago today, in the island fortress of Corregidor, Philippines, approximately 15,000 American and Filipino troops fought the four-months long resistance against the Japanese forces.

In the early days of World War II, these Filipinos fought alongside Americans as they were battered by constant shellfire and aerial bombardment.

Corregidor Day evokes memories of how these valiant soldiers disrupted the Japanese conquest of the South Pacific, allowing valuable time for the United States to recover from Japan's initial onslaught.

After the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor, they also attacked and defeated Hong Kong and Singapore, our allies in the war. The one bright spot in those dark days was in the Philippine Islands where Americans and Filipinos made a stand in Bataan, Corregidor and the southern islands of the Philippines.

At the conclusion of World War II, there were more than 400,000 Filipino veterans. Only 50,000 Filipino veterans are living today and approximately 13,000 of them reside in the United States.

I pay tribute to these magnificent Filipino soldiers, loyal and dedicated to the war effort, who distinguished themselves in the four months of combat. With their fiber helmets and canvas shoes, they were armed with little more than personal courage. These valiant men deserve no less than recognition of their military service and fairness under the law.

Proper recognition and honor of the military service of these Filipino veterans is long overdue. I ask my colleagues to remember Corregidor and to support the Filipino Veterans Fairness Act. My bill mirrors Senator DANIEL INOUYE's S. 68 and also guarantees Filipino veterans' representation in the Center for Minority Veterans, and ensures they receive the same social benefits like education, housing loans, vocational rehabilitation and job counseling as available to the American soldiers with whom they fought side by side in Corregidor.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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