[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1042 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1042
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve benefits for Filipino
veterans of World War II, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 14, 2001
Mr. Inouye introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
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 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 ``Filipino Veterans' Benefits
Improvements Act of 2001''.
SEC. 2. RATE OF PAYMENT OF CERTAIN BENEFITS FOR NEW PHILIPPINE SCOUTS
RESIDING IN THE UNITED STATES.
(a) Redesignation of Provisions.--Section 107 of title 38, United
States Code, is amended--
(1) in the second sentence of subsection (a), by striking
``subsection (c)'' and inserting ``subsections (c) and (d)'';
and
(2) by designating subsection (c), as added by section
332(a)(2) of the Veterans Benefits and Health Care Improvement
Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-419; 114 Stat. 1856), as subsection
(d).
(b) Rate of Payment.--That section is further amended--
(1) in the second sentence of subsection (b), by striking
``Payments'' and inserting ``Except as provided in subsection
(c), payments''; and
(2) in subsection (c), as added by section 501(a) of H.R.
5482 of the 106th Congress (as enacted by Public Law 106-377
(114 Stat. 1441A-55))--
(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''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (b) shall
take effect on the date of enactment of this Act, and shall apply to
benefits paid for months beginning on or after that date.
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, as added by section 501(a) of H.R. 5482 of the
106th Congress (as enacted by Public Law 106-377 (114 Stat. 1441A-55))
and amended by section 2 of this Act, is further 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 enactment of this Act, and shall apply to
benefits paid for months beginning on or after that date.
SEC. 4. ELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN FILIPINO VETERANS FOR DISABILITY
PENSION.
(a) Eligibility.--Section 107 of title 38, United States Code, as
amended by this Act, is further amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (3) of the first sentence, by
inserting ``15,'' before ``23,''; and
(B) in the second sentence, by striking
``subsections (c) and (d)'' and inserting ``subsections
(c), (d), and (e)''; and
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) by striking paragraph (2) of the first sentence
and inserting the following new paragraph (2):
``(2) chapters 11, 13 (except section 1312(a)), and 15 of
this title.''; and
(B) in the second sentence, by striking
``subsection (c)'' and inserting ``subsections (c) and
(e)''.
(b) Rate of Payment.--That section is further amended by adding at
the end the following new subsection:
``(e) In the case of benefits under chapter 15 of this title paid
by reason of service described in subsection (a) or (b), if--
``(1) the benefits are paid to an individual residing in
the United States who is a citizen of, or an alien lawfully
admitted for permanent residence in, the United States, the
second sentence of the applicable subsection shall not apply;
and
``(2) the benefits are paid to an individual residing in
the Republic of the Philippines, the benefits shall be paid
(notwithstanding any other provision of law) at the rate of
$100 per month.''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take
effect on the date of enactment of this Act, and shall apply to
benefits for months beginning on or after that date.
SEC. 5. ELIGIBILITY OF FILIPINO VETERANS FOR HEALTH CARE IN THE UNITED
STATES.
The text of section 1734 of title 38, United States Code, is
amended to read as follows:
``The Secretary, within the limits of Department facilities, shall
furnish hospital and nursing home care and medical services to
Commonwealth Army veterans and new Philippine Scouts in the same manner
as provided for under section 1710 of this title.''.
SEC. 6. OUTPATIENT HEALTH CARE FOR VETERANS RESIDING IN THE
PHILIPPINES.
(a) In General.--Subchapter IV of chapter 17 of title 38, United
States Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating section 1735 as section 1736; and
(2) by inserting after section 1734 the following new
section 1735:
``Sec. 1735. Outpatient care and services for World War II veterans
residing in the Philippines
``(a) Outpatient Health Care.--The Secretary shall furnish care and
services to veterans of World War II, Commonwealth Army veterans, and
new Philippine Scouts for the treatment of the service-connected
disabilities and nonservice-connected disabilities of such veterans and
scouts residing in the Republic of the Philippines on an outpatient
basis at the Manila VA Outpatient Clinic.
``(b) Limitations.--(1) The amount expended by the Secretary for
the purpose of subsection (a) in any fiscal year may not exceed
$500,000.
``(2) The authority of the Secretary to furnish care and services
under subsection (a) is effective in any fiscal year only to the extent
that appropriations are available for that purpose.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
chapter 17 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to
section 1735 and inserting after the item relating to section 1734 the
following new items:
``1735. Outpatient care and services for World War II veterans residing
in the Philippines.
``1736. Definitions.''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take
effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.
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