[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 26, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E317]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




[[Page E317]]



 LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE VETERANS BENEFITS TO MEMBERS OF THE PHILIPPINE 
   COMMONWEALTH ARMY AND THE MEMBERS OF THE SPECIAL PHILIPPINE SCOUTS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 26, 1997

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to introduce legislation to amend 
title 38, of the U.S. Code, to provide that persons considered to be 
members of the Philippine Commonwealth Army veterans and members of the 
Special Philippine Scouts--by reason of service with the Armed Forces 
during World War II--should be eligible for full veterans benefits from 
the Department of Veterans' Affairs.
  We must correct the grave injustice that has befallen this brave 
group of veterans, since their valiant service, on behalf of the United 
States, during World War II.
  ON July 26, 1941, President Roosevelt issued a military order, 
pursuant to the Philippines Independence Act of 1934, calling members 
of the Philippine Commonwealth Army into the service of the United 
States Forces of the Far East, under the command of Lt. Gen. Douglas 
MacArthur.
  For almost 4 years, over one hundred thousand Filipinos, of the 
Philippine Commonwealth Army fought alongside the Allies to reclaim the 
Philippine Islands from Japan. Regrettably, in return, Congress enacted 
the Rescission Act of 1946. This measure limited veterans eligibility 
for service-connected disabilities and death compensation and also 
denied the members of the Philippine Commonwealth army the honor of 
being recognized as veterans of the United States Armed Forces.
  A second group, the Special Philippine Scouts called New Scouts who 
enlisted in the U.S. Armed Forces after October 6, 1945, primarily to 
perform occupational duty in the Pacific, were similarly excluded from 
benefits.
  I believe it is long overdue to correct this injustice and to provide 
the members of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the Special 
Philippine Scout with the benefits and the services that they valiantly 
earned during their service in World War II.
  Accordingly, I have introduced legislation, H.R. 836 that will 
provide veterans of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the Special 
Philippine Scouts with the benefits, the compensation, and most 
importantly with the recognition they courageously earned.
  I urge my colleagues to carefully review this legislation that 
corrects this grave injustice and provides veterans benefits to members 
of the Philippines Commonwealth Army and the members of the Special 
Philippine Scouts.
  Mr. Speaker, I request that the full text of H.R. 836 be included at 
this point in the Record.

                                H.R. 836

       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 Equity Act 
     of 1995''.

     SEC. 2. CERTAIN SERVICE IN THE ORGANIZED MILITARY FORCES OF 
                   THE PHILIPPINES AND THE PHILIPPINE SCOUTS 
                   DEEMED TO BE ACTIVE SERVICE.

       (a) In General.--Section 107 of title 38, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) by striking out ``not'' after ``Army of the United 
     States, shall''; and
       (B) by striking out ``, except benefits under--'' and all 
     that follows and inserting in lieu thereof a period; and
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) by striking out ``not'' after ``Armed Forces Voluntary 
     Recruitment Act of 1945 shall''; and
       (B) by striking out ``except--'' and all that follows and 
     inserting in lieu thereof a period.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--(1) The heading of such section 
     is amended to read as follows:

     ``Sec. 107. Certain service deemed to be active service: 
       service in organized military forces of the Philippines and 
       in the Philippine Scouts''.

       (2) The item relating to such section in the table of 
     sections at the beginning of chapter 1 of such title is 
     amended to read as follows:

       ``107. Certain service deemed to be active service: service 
           in organized military forces of the Philippines and in 
           the Philippine Scouts.''.

     SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

       (a) In General.--The amendments made by this Act shall take 
     effect on       .
       (b) Applicability.--No benefits shall accrue to any person 
     for any period before the effective date of this Act by 
     reason of the amendments made by this Act.

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