[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 664 Introduced in House (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.
                                 <all>