[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 73 (Tuesday, June 9, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H4273-H4279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 COMMEMORATING 100 YEARS OF RELATIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE OF UNITED STATES 
                     AND PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 404) commemorating 100 years of relations between 
the people of the United States and the people of the Philippines.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 404

       Whereas 1998 marks 100 years of special ties between the 
     people of the United States and the people of the Philippines 
     and is also the centennial celebration of Philippine 
     independence from Spain which initiated relations with the 
     United States;
       Whereas the people of the Philippines have on many 
     occasions demonstrated their strong commitment to democratic 
     principles and practices, the free exchange of views on 
     matters of public concern, and the development of a strong 
     civil society;
       Whereas the Philippines has embraced economic reform and 
     free market principles and, despite current challenging 
     circumstances, its economy has registered significant 
     economic growth in recent years benefiting the lives of the 
     people of the Philippines;
       Whereas the large Philippine-American community has 
     immeasurably enriched the fabric of American society and 
     culture;
       Whereas Filipino soldiers fought shoulder to shoulder with 
     American troops on the battlefields of World War II, Korea, 
     and Vietnam;
       Whereas the Philippines is an increasingly important 
     trading partner of the United States as well as the recipient 
     of significant direct American investment;
       Whereas the United States relies on the Philippines as a 
     partner and treaty ally in fostering regional stability, 
     enhancing prosperity, and promoting peace and democracy; and
       Whereas the 100th anniversary of relations between the 
     people of the United States and the people of the Philippines 
     offers an opportunity for the United States and the 
     Philippines to renew their commitment to international 
     cooperation on issues of mutual interest and concern: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) congratulates the Philippines on the commemoration of 
     its independence from Spain;
       (2) looks forward to a broadening and deepening of 
     friendship and cooperation with the Philippines in the years 
     ahead for the mutual benefit of the people of the United 
     States and the people of the Philippines;
       (3) supports the efforts of the Philippines to further 
     strengthen democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and the 
     expansion of free market economics both at home and abroad; 
     and
       (4) recognizes the close relationship between the nations 
     and the people of the United States and the people of the 
     Philippines and pledges its support to work closely with the 
     Philippines in addressing new challenges as we begin our 
     second century of friendship and cooperation.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Gilman) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Wexler) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman).
  (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)


                             General Leave

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have introduced this resolution 
commemorating 100 years of relations between the people of the United 
States and the people of the Philippines. I am pleased to bring it to 
the floor today for consideration, and I am pleased to be joined by our 
distinguished chairman of our Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific of 
the Committee on International Relations, the gentleman from Nebraska 
(Mr. Bereuter).
  Mr. Speaker, it is right and fitting that the House of 
Representatives make note of the special relationship that our Nation 
and the Philippines have shared for nearly a century. The beginning of 
our country's relationship with the Philippines in 1898 also marks the 
beginning of our great interest in the Pacific and the development of 
strong, robust historical and cultural ties between the Philippines and 
the United States.

[[Page H4274]]

  Mr. Speaker, though the United States and Philippines are literally 
an ocean apart, the large Philippine-American community, numbering over 
2 million, has immeasurably enriched the social and cultural fabric of 
our Nation and serves as a sturdy bridge of friendship between our two 
countries.
  Until the end of the Cold War, the United States maintained major 
military facilities in the Philippines which played a significant role 
in the maintenance of regional peace and stability. Today, the 
Philippines remains an important partner and ally in guarding the peace 
and maintaining stability in southeast Asia.
  Our Nation is pleased with the flourishing of democracy in the 
Philippines. It is hoped that the Philippines will serve as an example 
to others in that region and will encourage progress and the furthering 
of democratic principles and practices, respect for human rights, and 
enhancement of the rule of law.
  I am pleased to have had the opportunity to introduce this 
legislation and I urge my colleagues to support the measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WEXLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. I would like to 
commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) for introducing House 
Resolution 404 and moving it without delay through the legislative 
process. I am an original cosponsor of the resolution along with a 
number of our colleagues here.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a constructive measure that recognizes the close 
partnership that we have enjoyed with the Philippines over the past 100 
years, and voices support for a continuation of that partnership as we 
enter the second century of our bilateral relationship. I urge adoption 
of this measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) the distinguished chairman of our Subcommittee 
on Asia and the Pacific.
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.Res. 404 and 
congratulate the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), 
the chairman of the Committee on International Relations, for 
introducing it today. I am pleased to be one of the bill's original 
cosponsors.
  In the past 100 years, the Philippines at various times has served, 
and now serves, as a democratic counterpart, ally, trading partner, and 
friend to the United States. The Philippines is a republic basically 
patterned after our own democratic system and it continues to reshape 
and perfect its government in order to better uphold the ideals of 
democracy.
  Since July 4, 1946, named Filipino-American Friendship Day in the 
Philippines, the U.S.-Philippines relationship has been largely 
characterized by cooperation. H.Res. 404 notes these cooperative 
efforts by citing our united forces in World War II and our efforts to 
promote peace and stability in the Asian-Pacific region. Though U.S. 
forces have not had a physical presence in the Philippines since 1991, 
the U.S. and the Philippines remain united by the 1951 Mutual Defense 
Treaty. This bond may be further strengthened by a newly negotiated 
Visiting Forces Agreement which is scheduled to go before the 
Philippines Senate for ratification later this year.
  Despite the ongoing financial crisis in Asia, the Philippines has 
also become an increasingly valuable trading partner for the United 
States. The Philippines has demonstrated commitment to undertake 
economic reform, and this Member expects the new President-elect, 
Joseph Estrada, to continue to nurture this economic growth.
  H.Res. 404 is timely legislation as its introduction coincides with 
the festive preparations now underway in the Philippines in 
anticipation of its centennial celebration of independence from Spain. 
It is altogether appropriate for this body to congratulate the 
Philippines on the centennial of its independence and applaud his 
accomplishments of the past 100 years. The Philippines has clearly 
become a positive role model for its Asian neighbors.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) 
on sponsoring this legislation and I urge all Members to support and 
approve H.Res. 404.
  Mr. WEXLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Filner).

                              {time}  1700

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the 
time.
  I rise in strong support of this resolution, H. Res. 404, which 
congratulates the Philippines on the 100th anniversary of its 
independence from Spain in 1898, supports their efforts to strengthen 
democracy and human rights, and thanks the Philippines for fighting on 
the side of the United States in World War II, the Korean War and 
Vietnam.
  I have personally met with both the President-elect and the Vice 
President-elect recently, and I know that they will continue the strong 
relationship between our two countries.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to suggest to my good friends who are 
speaking on this and who have sponsored this resolution today that 
there are two additional concrete steps that this body could take to 
adequately express the high regard we have for the Philippines on this 
100th anniversary of their independence.
  The first concrete act we could do is pass the bill, H.R. 836, an act 
introduced by the distinguished chairman of the House Committee on 
International Relations, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), and 
myself. It is a bipartisan bill called the Filipino Veterans Equity 
Act. It has nearly 200 cosponsors at this time.
  What the Filipino Veterans Equity Act says is that it is time to 
restore justice and honor and dignity to the veterans of World War II 
who fought side by side with us. These were soldiers of the Philippines 
who were drafted to serve in our Armed Forces by Executive order of 
President Roosevelt. They defended the American flag in the famous 
battles of Bataan and Corregidor. Thousands of them died during the 
Bataan death march, and many who survived were imprisoned under very 
inhumane conditions. The Filipino soldiers who fought under the 
American flag foiled plans for a quick takeover of the region and 
allowed the United States the time that we needed to prepare our forces 
for victory in the Pacific. But unbelievably after the war was over in 
1946, the Congress of the time voted to take away the benefits and 
recognition that these Filipino veterans were promised. In the infamous 
Rescissions Acts of 1946, we said, thank you for all your work and 
help, but no thanks.
  It is now 52 years later. Families who live in both the United States 
and the Philippines have been waiting for the justice, recognition and 
benefits that they deserve. H. Res. 404 thanks them for their service, 
but we need H.R. 836, sponsored by the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Gilman), to complete the job.
  A second concrete step that we can take is to pass H. Res. 312, which 
was introduced by the gentleman from Guam (Mr. Underwood). This 
resolution outlines the compromise to return one of the famous Bells of 
Balangiga to the people of the Philippines. The two bells were brought 
to the United States early in the 20th century by American troops who 
were engaged in hostilities that had erupted between American and 
Filipino soldiers. These bells are currently on display at Warren Air 
Force Base in Wyoming.
  The Republic of the Philippines has repeatedly requested the return 
of the bells. H. Res. 312 would return one bell and retain one bell in 
Wyoming. Two replica bells would be made so that each country would 
have one replica and one original bell.
  On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Philippine 
Declaration of Independence, as a measure of friendship, another way to 
recognize this, in addition to the resolution we have on the floor now, 
let us share these priceless bells which are national symbols to the 
Filipinos.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Filner) for his support of our Philippines veterans bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Rohrabacher), a member of our House Committee on International 
Relations.

[[Page H4275]]

  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor today to rise in support 
of this resolution remembering the Philippines 100 years as a nation.
  It was 100 years ago when, during what is known as the Spanish-
American War, the Philippines were liberated from their Spanish 
oppressors. Unfortunately sometimes we like to romanticize our own 
history and forget what happened a few years immediately after that 
liberation. Instead of doing what would have been consistent with our 
own philosophy as a country that believed in the Declaration of 
Independence, the United States decided instead of freeing the 
Philippines from foreign oppression, we decided to take control of the 
Philippines for ourselves, and, in fact, at the turn of the century 
there was a bloody war that went on in the Philippines that pitted the 
United States against many of the Filipino people who wanted freedom 
and independence, justifiably wanted their freedom and independence. In 
fact, tens of thousands of Filipinos were killed at that time by the 
superior firepower of American military forces. That is a stain on 
American history.
  However, let us say that there were the best of intentions. The 
people who were involved in that and the decisionmakers felt that this 
would be a way to lead the Philippines to true democracy. And 50 years 
later, yes, in 1946, the Philippines were freed. I think it speaks very 
well of the Filipino people that they have forgotten that blight of 
what happened at the turn of the century and over the years became 
perhaps one of America's greatest friends in the Pacific, but also in 
the world.
  The Filipino people are good friends and part of the American family 
and, since 1946, have always had a close relationship to us and during 
the Cold War stood with us. Unfortunately during the Cold War the 
Philippines reverted back during the time, and, again, which did not 
speak well of the United States, we recognized the demise of democracy 
under the rule of Mr. Marcos. President Marcos they called him, but one 
is not a President unless one is elected, so I will have to call him 
dictator Marcos. During that time corruption thrived, and again the 
United States did not live up to our own ideals, but yet the people of 
the Philippines know that we are a country of ideals, and, when we 
could, we stood with those people, Mr. Aquino, of course, who was 
assassinated by the Marcos gang, and we stood with the people of the 
Philippines to help reestablish democracy there.
  I think, as a former member of the Reagan administration, that is one 
of the moments that I am the most proud of, where Ronald Reagan helped 
ease this dictatorship out of power in the Philippines and eased into 
place a more democratically oriented group of people. And then today, 
under President Ramos they have had a magnificently democratic country. 
We have had freedom of speech, freedom of the press and a growing 
economy. Under the past regime, they were so corrupt, they could not 
even grow. Today the Philippines stands as a jewel in the Pacific in 
the sense that its people are committed to freedom and democracy as we 
know it here in the United States. They are our good friends.
  Unfortunately, here again at times we end up taking the Philippines 
for granted. We end up trying to give business advantages for our own 
businessmen to invest in countries like Vietnam that have had no 
democratic reform whatsoever, or in China, or in other dictatorial 
countries, even like Indonesia up until this current situation. Why 
should we ignore those people who are struggling to improve their 
lives, who are our best friends in the Philippines, and instead direct 
our people with grants and loans and subsidies for their investments 
from the IMF and from the Export-Import Bank; why should we direct them 
towards dictatorships when we should actually be helping our friends in 
the Philippines?
  I am very proud to stand here today to say, I am a friend of the 
Philippines, and the people of the Philippines are good friends of 
democracy and freedom and good friends of the people of the United 
States.
  Mr. WEXLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega).
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega).
  (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I certainly would like to associate 
myself with the compliments and statements made earlier by my good 
friend from California and certainly his support for the Philippines.
  I rise in support of House Resolution 404, which commemorates 100 
years of relations between the good people of the Philippines and the 
United States. I commend the chairman and ranking member of the House 
Committee on International Relations, the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Gilman) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hamilton), for introducing 
and supporting adoption of this important measure. I am proud to join 
these gentlemen and our colleagues on the committee as an original 
cosponsor of the legislation and also my good friend, the chairman of 
the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, the gentleman from Nebraska 
(Mr. Bereuter).
  Mr. Speaker, today we honor an old and enduring friendship that has 
linked the United States and the Philippines for almost a century. Our 
relationship dates back to 1898 when Commodore George Dewey sank the 
Spanish fleet in Manila Bay, ending three centuries of Spanish colonial 
rule and laying the foundation for Philippine independence from Spain.
  For in the next 100 years, Americans and Filipinos have shared a 
special bond forged in war and strengthened in peace.
  Mr. Speaker, the Philippines should be commended for being one of the 
most vibrant democracies in Asia. Since the people power revolt in 1986 
that ousted Ferdinand Marcos, three Presidents have been placed in 
office by free and fair elections in the Philippines. Last month, Vice 
President Joseph Estrada was the runaway winner of the May 11 
Presidential election against nine other candidates. On June 30, Mr. 
Estrada, an opposition leader, shall take office from President Fidel 
Ramos, again marking a smooth transition of power as befits a true 
democracy.
  Under President Ramos' leadership, the Philippines has implemented 
economic reforms while embracing free market principles. The trade 
liberalization policy has led to an economic renaissance for the 
Philippines, going from zero growth in 1991 to an increase over 6 
percent GNP in recent years. The United States has been and continues 
to be the largest trading partner and foreign investor in the 
Philippines. One-third of Philippines' exports come to America. Two-way 
annual trade between our two countries has exceeded over $12 billion.
  Mr. Speaker, the people of the Philippines and the people of the 
United States have always had close relations. Today almost 2 million 
Americans are of Filipino descent, while close to 130,000 U.S. citizens 
presently reside in the Philippines.
  People of the Philippines have always been a trusted ally of the 
United States in times of conflict. During World War II more than 
100,000 Filipinos volunteered for the Philippine Commonwealth Army, 
fighting under American commanders alongside U.S. Armed Forces. 
Filipino soldiers also sacrificed their blood alongside U.S. troops in 
the Korean and Vietnam wars. This friendship and alliance continues 
today with our mutual defense treaty, which commits our nations to each 
other's defense in case of external attack, while preserving stability 
in the region.
  Mr. Speaker, because of the deep and enduring ties that have 
traditionally bound the people of the Philippines and the U.S. 
together, I would strongly urge our colleagues to adopt this resolution 
before us. All Americans should honor our good friendship with the 
Philippines on this important commemoration of their independence, 
support their continued political and economic progress, and work to 
maintain the special and close relationship between our sister 
democracies.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WEXLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Hawaii (Mrs. Mink).
  Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding 
time to me.
  I rise today in very strong support of House Resolution 404, which 
celebrates

[[Page H4276]]

and commemorates the 100 years of relationship between the Philippines 
and the United States. I take particular pride in rising today to 
support this resolution as the Chair of the Asian Pacific Caucus for 
the House of Representatives. We are joined together as Members of this 
Congress with strong Asian Pacific constituencies, and we have 
approximately 20 members in our caucus and about 65 Members of the 
House that have 5 percent or more Asian Pacific individuals in their 
constituencies.
  The Philippines have had an unusual relationship with the United 
States. One hundred years ago they freed themselves from Spanish rule 
and began an association with the United States which was not always 
friendly or pleasant. I am sure there were many torturous years prior 
to their development of a strong relationship, but the Philippines has 
always been a friend and an ally, and never more important was that 
relationship and dependence upon each other than during World War II, 
when the United States called upon nearly 100,000 Filipinos to join 
side by side with the United States to win the war in the Philippines 
and to conquer the enemy forces in the Philippines.
  At that time the Filipinos that joined in to help the American forces 
in the Philippines were promised that they would be accorded 
recognition and veterans status. Regrettably, the Congress took away 
that promise in the Rescissions Act of 1946. And so today one of the 
gnawing difficulties we have in our constituencies in facing the 
veterans from the Philippines who now live in the United States is this 
question of when the United States is going to fulfill its honor and 
its promise.

                              {time}  1715

  I would hope that along with the celebration of our relationship of 
100 years that we recognize that we have still some unfulfilled 
promises that we have made to the Philippine people.
  The Filipinos in the United States who are living here as residents 
or as citizens constitute a very large portion of our population. 
Persons in the United States of Filipino ancestry number over 2 million 
currently under the estimates that we have received from the Census 
Office. In my own constituency, there are about 170,000 persons of 
Filipino ancestry. We celebrate their presence. I cannot think of any 
other segment in our society that are harder working, more creative, 
more energetic and more loyal to the United States than those who count 
as their ancestry the Philippines. And so I agree with the gentleman 
from California that we should be at this time thinking of ways that we 
could strengthen this relationship through trade and other kinds of 
formulations to build their economy and to indicate to the people of 
the Philippines that it is more than just a token relationship; that 
they are friends, stable, reliable, and of great economic importance. 
It is important for this country to extend a helping hand in every way 
that we can. Hawaii is special because we have elected as our Governor 
a person of Philippine ancestry of whom we are very proud, the 
Honorable Benjamin Cayetano.
  Mr. Speaker. I rise today to pay tribute to an old and enduring 
friendship that has linked the United States and the Republic of the 
Philippines. Friday, June 12, 1998 marks the 100th anniversary of the 
U.S.-Philippines relationship. I am pleased to join my colleagues in 
strong support of H. Res. 404 which recognizes the special link that 
Americans and Filipinos have shared.
  As we celebrate this important relationship let us not forget the 
supremely noble Filipino World War II veterans.
  The U.S.-Philippines relationship was indisputable when over one 
hundred thousand Filipinos, of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, fought 
side by side with the United States during World War II. Under 
President Roosevelt's Executive Order of July 26, 1941, the Philippine 
military was called on to join forces with the United States. Without 
hesitation they fought with bravery, tenacity and honor along side 
American forces in the battle in the Pacific Theater. Philippine 
soldiers who served in regular components of the United States Armed 
Forces were considered members of the United States forces.
  Filipino fighters heroic service prevented the enemy from conquering 
the Pacific and allowed the United States troops, under the command of 
General Douglas MacArthur to return to the Philippines. The 
contributions and valor of these Filipino veterans were instrumental in 
the United States preparations for the final assault on Japan.
  Notwithstanding promises made to these Philippine soldiers in 1946, 
Congress enacted The Rescission Act which stripped members of the 
Philippine Commonwealth army of being duly recognized as veterans of 
the United States Armed Forces.
  It was not until 1990 that Congress passed the Immigration Act of 
1990 permitting Philippine veterans of World War II to apply for 
naturalization in recognition of their wartime service.
  Today, CBO estimates that at least 28,000 veterans of the 
Commonwealth Army and Philippine Scouts are U.S. citizens. According to 
information from the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), 
about 15,000 who live in the United States became citizens between 1991 
and 1995 under the authority of the Immigration Act of 1990.
  H. Res. 836, The Filipino Veterans Equity Act introduced in February 
reinstates the benefits of the Filipino World War II veterans unjustly 
denied by our Act of Congress in 1946. I am pleased to be a co-sponsor 
of House Resolution.
  This year the Congress has the opportunity to address this injustice. 
The House Committee on Veteran's Affairs will hold a hearing on H. Res. 
836. The United States has an obligation and the Congress the 
responsibility to live up to the original promise made to these 
soldiers. This year, the 100th Anniversary of our relationship, is a 
perfect time to correct this wrong.
  After answering the call without question and serving valiantly in 
the defense of the United States, Filipino World War II veterans 
deserve, their long-overdue benefits.
  This year, in many communities in the United States and the 
Philippines, extensive celebration of the Philippine independence and 
the enduring friendship between our two countries will occur. I believe 
it is time to honor our friendship by providing full veterans' benefits 
to these Filipino World War II veterans, who fought and died side by 
side with us for freedom and democracy.
  Mr. WEXLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Guam 
(Mr. Underwood).
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Guam 
(Mr. Underwood).
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Stearns). The gentleman from Guam (Mr. 
Underwood) is recognized for 4 minutes.
  (Mr. UNDERWOOD asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Gilman), the chairman of the committee, for this measure, and I 
rise in strong support of H. Res. 404.
  One hundred years ago, President McKinley, mulling over territories 
which included Guam as well as the Philippines in the Asia-Pacific 
region, spoke of the revelation indicating that there was nothing left 
to do but to take the Philippines and to Christianize them. Obviously, 
he had forgotten that this had already occurred, and that the process 
of acquiring the Philippines has become in the beginning of this 
century one of the great controversies which consumed this country and 
which actually resulted in a guerilla warfare in which some 4,000 
Americans died, 200,000 Filipinos died and over $200 million were 
spent.
  On June 12, 1898, which is on Friday, our time, General Emilio 
Aguinaldo first unfurled the Filipino flag amidst the strains of the 
inspiring Philippine National Anthem, declaring that the Philippines 
had become independent from Spain. In doing so, they became the first 
indigenous group in the Asia-Pacific region to break the bonds of 
European colonialism.
  Despite that, they soon found themselves ignored in the process of 
the Treaty of Paris, considered as war booty and eventually ended up 
under U.S. sovereignty, thus confounding some of the efforts of many 
anti-imperialists at the time, including Mark Twain, who remarked, ``I 
am opposed to having the eagle put its talons upon any other land.''
  Despite these inauspicious beginnings and conflicted beginnings, 
Filipinos have remained the strongest and closest ally of the United 
States throughout this entire century. Filipinos fought, fighting under 
the American flag in World War I, keeping alive their own resistance 
effort and participating in their own liberation from the Japanese 
during World War II under both the U.S. flag and the Philippine 
Commonwealth banner, and under their own flag the Sun and Stars during 
the Korean and Vietnam wars.

[[Page H4277]]

 They have been with us shoulder to shoulder like no other nation on 
earth.
  As we mark the 100th anniversary of Philippine-American ties, I urge 
my colleagues to reflect upon our relationship with the Filipino people 
and their republic. As we commemorate and celebrate this important 
milestone, I would like to remind our colleagues that this would be an 
opportune time for us to act and resolve long-standing issues that have 
occurred during the past 100 years, including the Filipino Veterans 
Equity Act which has been so eloquently spoken to by both the 
gentlewoman from Hawaii (Mrs. Mink) and the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Filner) as well as the return of the Bells of Balangiga. These 
bells were taken in the course of the guerilla insurrection, a 
compromise measure has been suggested at the expense of the Philippine 
government, and we should bring closure to this issue.
  This coming Friday, the Sun and Stars will once again be unfurled on 
the same balcony General Aguinaldo first proclaimed Philippine 
independence some 100 years before. I think for the Filipino community 
on Guam, and I am proud to say that my congressional district is the 
closest to the Philippines, for Filipino communities all over the 
United States and all over the world and for all people who love 
democracy and independence, June 12, 1998, is a day to celebrate.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to also bring attention and enter an 
article on the Philippine Centennial in the debate at this time.
  The text of the article is as follows:
  Mr. Speaker, this coming June 12, the Republic of the Philippines, 
Filipinos, and freedom loving people from all over the world will 
commemorate the 100th anniversary of the declaration of Philippine 
independence. On this occasion, I would like to share with my 
colleagues the thoughts of Dr. Eddie Del Rosario, a Filipino-American 
who has been a long-time resident of Guam. In his article, Dr. del 
Rosario includes a poem written by Apolinario Mabini, a turn of the 
century Filipino nationalist who spent two years as a political exile 
on Guam.

                 Thoughts on the Philippine Centennial

                    (By Eddie del Rosario, MD, MPH)

       By any measure, a hundred years is a highly significant 
     milestone in any chronicle of a group of people, especially 
     if it marks a great victory after an epic struggle for 
     freedom. The Filipino people, on June 12, 1898, proclaimed 
     their independence from the heavy yoke of colonialism and 
     slavery imposed on them for 377 years, 2 months, 14 days and 
     some odd hours by monarchic Spain. Unfortunately, it was 
     largely ignored by most nations, especially by the defeated 
     foe (Spain) and the ambivalent ally, the United States of 
     America.
       On that day, the Filipinos earned the distinct honor of 
     being the first indigenous people in Asia and Oceania to 
     wrest their freedom and independence by force of arms from 
     their European colonial masters. It must have sent shock 
     waves among the imperialist nations of Europe and more than a 
     tingle of delight and renewed hope among the disenfranchised 
     peoples of Asia and the native islanders of Oceania. I 
     venture to guess that the exiled Filipinos called 
     ``deportados'' and their progenies as well as the indigenous 
     people on Guam, Rota, Tinian and Saipan who were likewise 
     subjects of Spain at that time, must have murmured 
     approvingly and must have wondered about their own 
     deliverance.
       By all intents and purposes though, it was not a democratic 
     form of government that the leaders of the victorious 
     Filipino revolutionaries proclaimed that day. General Emilio 
     Aguinaldo, 27 years young, was a de facto military dictator. 
     It didn't matter much to the 7 million Filipinos at that 
     time. What mattered most was that they were free from the 
     shackles of the much-hated Spanish despots gathered in 
     military uniforms, priestly cassocks and ostentatious period 
     costumes of the ``Ilustrados''.
       When the Philippine flag was finally displayed and raised 
     for the first time from the balcony of that modest and now 
     historic house in Kawit, Cavite, amid the soul-stirring 
     strains of the new Philippine national anthem, the Filipino 
     people broke in cheers and tears. Free at last! Or should it 
     have been ``Free Again!'' since the pre-Conquest Filipinos 
     were one of the freest societies in recorded Oriental 
     history. Just like the pre-Conquest Chamorros in their flying 
     proas, the itinerant and industrious Filipinos of yore 
     cavorted freely among their 7,000 islands in their sleek and 
     fast paraws and vintas. Their age of innocence was soon ended 
     by the light-skinned conquerors from the other side of the 
     world carrying swords and crosses and speaking in a strange 
     tongue.
       On that June day, the descendants of enslaved and conquered 
     Filipinos who finally overthrew their masters in a rare, 
     united effort, looked up with awe and reverence at their 
     brown-skinned leaders who looked so young, so powerful, so 
     determined and so trustworthy. The average age of the leaders 
     of the Philippine-Spanish War was about 29 years. In the 
     heady atmosphere of such jubilation marking the birth of a 
     new, independent nation, no one even thought that 14 months 
     later, these same citizen-soldiers would be fighting another 
     foreign invader called ``Americans''. No one, except for a 
     quiet, paraplegic intellectual sitting on his wheelchair by 
     the name of Apolinario Mabini. He somehow knew that the 
     Americans who were supposed to be friends and trusted allies 
     harbored their own design, just like the other European 
     powers, for these beautiful islands. On the last month of 
     that fateful year of 1898, oblivious of the fact that an 
     empowered group of self-determined Asian people overthrew and 
     declared their independence from their powerful conqueror, 
     the Americans pre-empted the Filipinos, the Chamorros, the 
     Cubanos, and the Puerto-Ricanos in one fell swoop. In an 
     arrogant display of naked imperialism and the power of 
     international economics, culminating in the Treaty of 
     Paris, millions of indigenous people found themselves 
     vassals of another foreign power once more. How would 
     colonial Americans have left felt if, right after July 4, 
     1776, the British sold their patrimony to the French for 
     20 million pounds sterling without their knowledge? 
     Doubtless, there could have been second American 
     Revolution. And that's precisely what happened in the 
     Philippines 7 months and 22 days after the June 12, 1898 
     declaration of Phil. Independence and exactly 14 days 
     after the First Phil. Constitution was promulgated, a 
     product of the best Filipino minds in Congress Assembled 
     in a stone church in the town of Malolos, province of 
     Bulacan. All that time, Admiral Dewey knew that every act 
     of self-determination that the Filipino freedom fighters 
     did before and after the Treaty of Paris, consummated 
     between Spain and U.S.A. on December 1898, were exercises 
     in futility. It didn't matter that these brash islanders 
     followed the ``same script and recipe'' that the Americans 
     used in their earlier quest for independence and creation 
     of a constitutional democracy. U.S. Pres. McKinley was 
     determined to save his ``little brown brothers'' from 
     paganism, inspite of the fact that most Filipinos had 
     already embraced the Catholic Faith for hundreds of years.
       On Feb. 4, 1899, the first skirmish marking the start of 
     the Philippine-American War occurred on a narrow bridge in 
     San Juan, Rizal adjacent to Manila, the home town of Joseph 
     ``Erap'' Estrada, the newest and the 13th president of the 
     Republic of the Philippines. Once again, true to the words of 
     their national anthem, i.e., ``Land dear and holy, Cradle of 
     noble heroes, Ne'er shall invaders trample thy sacred 
     shores,'' the Filipinos fought gallantly against all odds to 
     repel the American invaders just as they did earlier with the 
     Chinese, the Dutch, the British and the Spaniards. Much 
     later, the Japanese also faced the wrath of the Filipino 
     freedom fighters. Slow to anger, patient as Job, quick to 
     forgive but unrelenting once he begins to fight--such was an 
     apt portrayal of the Filipino by his enemy.
       The Philippine-American War turned out to be ``the most 
     shameful episode in American history, worse than Vietnam and 
     the Indian massacres'', quoting noted Filipino columnist and 
     writer, Hilarion Henares, Jr. Based on American official 
     records, Henares noted that where the usual ratio between 
     dead and wounded as 1 is to 5 in the Boer War, American Civil 
     War, Spanish-American War and the World Wars, in the 
     Philippine campaign, it was the exact reverse: for every one 
     Filipino wounded in battle, five were killed. In some 
     instances, ``in Northern Luzon, 1,014 llocanos were killed 
     and only 95 wounded, a ratio of 10 killed for everyone 
     wounded.'' ``Gen. Bell proclaimed: `All able men will be 
     killed!'' ``Gen. Smith ordered the Massacre of Samar * * * 
     and further ordered that all persons--men, women, and 
     children down to 10 years of age--were to be executed.'' The 
     Americans paid a high price in this bloodly and protracted 
     war. Henares wrote that the Americans had six times more 
     casualties fighting the Filipinos than they had fighting the 
     Spaniards; it took them 42 months to defeat the Filipinos 
     versus 6 months to defeat the Spainards; almost a year longer 
     than it took them to beat the Japanese in World War II. At 
     the height of the carnage, Pres. McKinley denounced the zona 
     system which was instituted to kill all members of a 
     neighborhood for crimes committed by a few. He said, ``It was 
     extermination. The only peace it could beget was that of the 
     grave.''
       Apolinario Mabini, the ``Brains of the Phil. Revolution'' 
     and the ``Sublime Paralytic'' who never even wielded a 
     machete nor fired a gun, much like Dr. Jose Rizal whose 
     writings and martyrdom in December 1996 sparked the 
     Philippine Revolution, was considered, ironically, by Gen. 
     Arthur MacArthur (the father of the ``American Caesar'', Gen. 
     Douglas MacArthur) as the most dangerous Filipino alive. 
     Nationalist to the core and extremely brilliant, his 
     blistering disclosures and writings critical of the new 
     American rulers made life miserable and derailed the 
     pacification campaign of the Yankee warloads. Guamanian 
     nationalists would have loved to engage Mabini in great 
     conversations about the ``American Conquistadors'' and their 
     misguided philosophy of ``Manifest Destiny''. On Jan. 15, 
     1901, Gen. MacArthur threw his hands up and exiled Mabini to 
     Guam to silence him. He followed the footsteps of the Spanish 
     despots who, for 300 years, exiled thousands of men and women 
     to the Marianas because of crimes

[[Page H4278]]

     committed, real or imagined, against the State and the 
     Church. Among them was Melchora Aquino (Tandang Sora), the 
     ``Mother of the Katipunan.'' Mabini's voice was effectively 
     silenced but no one can break his unconquerable spirit. 
     During his two years of exile in ``Fort Asan,'' he started to 
     master the English language to better parry the thrusts of 
     his new adversaries. Such was the steely resolve of this 
     frail but courageous patriot. His voice may be silenced but 
     not his mighty pen and his sharp mind.
       Apolinaro Mabini, together with 52 other political exiles 
     and ``Irreconcilables'' who refused to pledge allegiance to 
     the American flag, made good use of their time to ingratiate 
     themselves with the native populace whom they felt close 
     kinship with. A veritable Who's Who among the Phil. 
     intelligentsia and revolutionaries, they included such 
     luminaries as Generals Pio del Pilar, Mariano Llanera, 
     Artemio Ricarte, and Maximino Hizon; prominent lawyers such 
     as Leon Flores (father of the late Archbishop Felixberto 
     Flores of the Archdiocese of Agana), Pancracio Palting 
     (father of the late Guam Senator Paul Palting), Pablo Ocampo 
     and Julian Gerona; seasoned patriots such as Maximo Lorenzo 
     Tolentino was stayed and lived in Santa Rita, and many 
     others.
       For the longest time until his death on May 13, 1964 at the 
     ripe age of 88, Maximo Tolentino was the only living, direct 
     link on Guam between the tempestous past and the idyllic 
     present. He was a living witness of the Philippine 
     Revolution. He consorted with the great and the near-great of 
     that epoch. Tolentino married a Chamorrita, Tomasa Crisostomo 
     Lizama from Julale, Agana and sired a son (who died at the 
     tender age of three) and two daughters, Mrs. Maria T. Ignacio 
     and Mrs. Carmen T. Cruz, both of Santa Rita. As of this 
     writing, the reconciled patriot Tolentino's descendants 
     include ten grandchildren, one of whom is Emilesia T. 
     Anderson who provided valuable information to this writer, 
     and thirty great-grandchildren.
       According to Monsignor Oscar L. Calvo, a local clergy and 
     historian, the ``Irreconcilables'' were suave and debonair 
     (``caballeros'' as they were described on Guam). Hardly a 
     weekend passed where there wasn't party to which they were 
     invited. They invariably charmed their way into the hearts of 
     their hosts. They were also allowed to hold parties of their 
     own to reciprocate for the local hospitality. Monsignor 
     Palomo and the U.S. Navy officials often engaged Mabini in 
     long conversations as they promenade in their horse and 
     carriage. Local people and government officials sought their 
     legal assistance and advice which were freely given. There 
     was no record of any attempt by these ``dangerous exiles'' to 
     forment civil disobedience nor rebellion among the native 
     inhabitants. Tony Palomo, a local writer and historian, wrote 
     in the May 7, 1961 issue of the Territorial Sun that 
     according to Maximo Tolentino, Gen. Artemio Ricarte who chose 
     to go to Japan instead after the ``Irreconcilables'' were 
     sent back to the Phlippines, wrote to him to induce him to 
     get the Filipnos in Guam to start an uprising against the 
     Americans. Tolentino wrote back asking Ricarte not to write 
     to him anymore about these things, citing that the Filipnos 
     have adopted Guam as their new home and that they are happy 
     and contented with their families.
       After most of the exiles finally decided to swear 
     allegiance to the American flag, they were allowed to sail 
     back to their motherland on Sept. 21, 1902. On the eve of 
     their departure, Marine Sgt. James Holland Underwood gave 
     them a big farewell party. A day after they left, a powerful 
     earthquake shook Guam and demolished the church in Hagatna as 
     well as most of the stone houses on the island.
       Mabini was unshaken nonetheless in his resolve not to 
     reconcile with America. Inspite of the ministrations of his 
     brother Prudencio and regular check-ups by an American doctor 
     to ease the distress brought about by his disabilities, he 
     pined for his beloved country as he wrote his ``opus 
     magnum,'' the political masterpiece entitled ``The Rise and 
     Fall of the Philippine Republic.'' Agonizing over his frailty 
     and mortality and fearing that he might die without a 
     country, Mabini finally gave in. He wrote a beautiful and 
     plaintive poem entitled ``Adios, Asan'' which he handed to 
     Maximo Tolentino before he sailed back to the Philippines 
     with Juan Villanio, a Spaniard who fought on the side of the 
     Filipinos. On Feb. 26, 1903, moments after he alighted from 
     the U.S.S. Thomas on Philippine soil, he took the oath of 
     allegiance to the Stars and Stripes. Refusing offers of money 
     and a high government position from U.S. officials, he 
     deigned to live quietly in his nipa hut along the Pasig River 
     in Manila. Barely three months later, he died, a victim of 
     the cholera epidemic of 1903. Thousands of friends and foes 
     alike bade him farewell as a twelve-horse carriage carried 
     his mortal remains along the streets of Manila.
       His words ring true almost a century later to remind us 
     that a nation's freedom comes at a great cost.
       ``. . . Let us fight while a grain of strength is left us; 
     let us acquit ourselves like men, even though the lot of the 
     present generation is conflict and sacrifice. It matters not 
     whether we die in the midst or at the end of our most painful 
     day's work the generations to come praying over our tombs, 
     will shed for us tears of love and gratitude, and not of 
     bitter reproach.''
       I like to think that Mabini spent a lot of happy and 
     peaceful moments on Guam. Even now, as one visits his 
     memorial on the quiet and timeless sands of Asan, in between 
     the sound of the breaking waves, I whisper to this great 
     patriot that he did not die in vain; that the American 
     regime, for the most part, showered great benevolence to his 
     beloved people; that the cruelty of the Spanish rulers was 
     not enough to kill the humanity of the Filipino race because 
     their Faith in God sustained them; that the Americans opened 
     up the hearts and minds of a subdued people through the 
     wonders of universal education, that the Americans, through 
     the military genius of Gen. Douglas MacArthur whose father 
     caused him undue torment, more than compensated for their 
     past sins by dying by the thousands alongside their true 
     brown brothers in the defense and eventual liberation of his 
     beloved Philippines from the cruel and avaricious Japanese; 
     that the fruits and blessings of a true democracy are enjoyed 
     everyday by everyone which allows each individual to be 
     independent, productive and integrated with society as a 
     whole; that the Filipinos are well on their way to accomplish 
     greater things, aided and abetted by a government of the 
     people, by the people and for the people, a form of 
     government wished by him for his country and ultimately 
     handed freely by the Americans whom he suspected as just 
     another cruel taskmaster, that on the beautiful island of 
     Guam where he was exiled, there are now tens of thousands of 
     inhabitants of Filipino lineage engaged in nation-building, 
     aware of their proud heritage, thankful to their noble heroes 
     for restoring their dignity as Freemen, ever-conscious of 
     what Dr. Jose Rizal wrote in affirming the inalienability of 
     rights: ``God gave each individual reason and a will of his 
     or her own to distinguish the just from the unjust; all were 
     born without shackles and free, and nobody has a right to 
     subjugate the will and spirit of another.'', and ever-
     vigliant in guarding the principle that All Men are Created 
     Equal.
       If Mabini were alive today, he would exhort us with one of 
     the timeless gems he wrote a hundred years ago in his True 
     Decalogue. ``Contribute to the progress of humanity by 
     developing your own talents, working, studying, honing your 
     abilities, never leaving the path of righteousness and truth. 
     By doing so, you will be honored and being honored, you will 
     glorify God.''

                               ADIOS ASAN

                       (By Don Apolinario Mabini)

              (English translation from Spanish original)

     Adios, Asani Adios, Agana!
     We bid thee adieu, We, the unfortunate victims of the love 
           for a sacred ideal;
     We vow thee our loyalty for thy humanitarian hospitality.
     Adios, Asian! Our favorite village, on whose sands our pains 
           have been sprinkled, and our tears spread;
     Your name I shall Never forget.
     Adios, Agana! Soon I shall leave thee;
     May heaven shower Happiness on thee;
     Adios, my brothers, sisters, of my soul
     Adios! Farewell! Adios!
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that Guam's own role in the 
Philippine independence movement was significant in that ironically a 
number of Philippine insurrectionists were put in exile on Guam at the 
turn of this century and many ties have resulted from that. I urge 
again this body to pass the resolution and more importantly to address 
the issues of Philippine veterans equity.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Rohrabacher).
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman 
from New York (Mr. Gilman) for providing me this opportunity to just 
add a couple of points to the statement that I made earlier about the 
Philippines. Of course I support the gentleman's position that we 
should return those bells. It is an insult to the people of the 
Philippines. There is no reason for a country that is so close to us 
now that we should not bend over backwards to be sensitive to their 
pride in those parts of their culture. But let us note when we talk 
about the Philippines that that is one of the lesser problems and 
challenges they face. They are working hard to develop their economy, 
they are working hard and struggling hard to make sure that they 
maintain a democracy, but one of the greatest threats to the 
Philippines now comes from mainland China.
  The Chinese, the Communist Chinese, are in a territorial dispute with 
the Philippines, and we in the United States who support democracy, we 
in the United States who believe in a more peaceful world and a 
peaceful solution to the problems in the Pacific should stand very 
closely to the Philippines at this time and let the Communist Chinese 
know that we will not tolerate the use of military force the Chinese 
seem bent on doing in their intentions to grab the Spratley Islands.
  Already we have been told that a permanent Chinese presence has been 
established in the last few years in the Spratley Islands. This is 
outrageous. We have found after just it seems like

[[Page H4279]]

a few brief moments of not paying attention that the Communist Chinese 
have come into the Spratley Islands with their warships and established 
a presence in the Spratley Islands. This is an act of intimidation, it 
is an act of a bully, and our best friend in the Pacific, the 
Philippines, is being bullied by the Communist Chinese. We need to 
stand by the Philippines by giving them the means that they need at the 
very least to protect their own interests to their own territory.
  To deter this type of aggression from China and belligerence from 
China, we need to move forward to ensure that as we have surplus ships 
and airplanes that we are taking out of service from the Cold War, we 
should be providing these to the Philippines, at no cost or at very low 
cost, because it does not cost us anything, we are just going to store 
them out in the middle of the desert, let us give these weapons that 
are surplus weapons, Cold War weapons, to the Philippines and let them 
defend themselves so that they can make sure that they deter any 
aggression in the future. This is what friendship is all about.
  As we are now patting ourselves on the back and patting the 
Philippines on the back for being a democratic country, let us make 
sure we remember they are in need of somebody standing beside them in 
this confrontation with China.
  Mr. WEXLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this is an important and a timely resolution recognizing 
the importance of the Philippines and their relations with our Nation. 
It is supported by the administration and has significant bipartisan 
backing. Accordingly, I urge my colleagues in the House to fully adopt 
this measure.
  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support for enactment of 
House Resolution 404, regarding relations between the people of the 
United States and those of the Philippines.
  It is significant that we enact the resolution to salute and 
congratulate the Philippines on the 100th anniversary of its 
independence from Spain and its achievement of the establishment of its 
democracy.
  It is also noteworthy that the resolution also thanks the Philippines 
for aiding the U.S. in World War II, the Korean War and in Vietnam. It 
underscores the need for Congress to enact the Filipino Veterans Equity 
Act to extend full veterans benefits to Filipino soldiers who fought 
along side U.S. soldiers in World War II.
  Mr. Speaker, approximately 200,000 Filipino soldiers were under the 
command of General Douglas MacArthur during the early months of World 
War II. During that period, our armed forces in the Philippines were 
isolated from food, medical and ammunition supplies. Filipino soldiers 
displayed exemplary loyalty and courage in the defense of their nation 
and fought in every major battle, including Bataan and Corregidor.
  Beyond the outstanding conduct of the regular Army forces, after the 
islands fell to Japan, thousands of courageous Filipinos took up arms 
to continue the fight through guerilla warfare against enormous odds. 
Not only did they undermine the occupation forces, but they provided 
valuable intelligence to U.S. forces in the Southwest Pacific, rescued 
downed American pilots and diverted powerful enemy forces from 
deployment elsewhere.
  An estimated 60,000 to 80,000 surviving Filipino veterans, however, 
have been denied the full range and extent of veterans benefits 
available to American veterans with whom they fought side by side. This 
is an intolerable situation and we must resolve to remedy this tragic 
and insensitive dilemma.
  I urge my colleagues to review the provisions of H.R. 836, the 
Philippines Veterans Equity Act, and support the effort to bring the 
bill to the House floor for debate and enactment.
  Mr. BERMAN. I rise in support of H. Res. 404 regarding American-
Philippines relations, regarding Taiwan's positive role in the Asian 
financial crisis and affirming American support for peace and stability 
on the Taiwan Strait and security for Taiwan's democracy.
  There is no more apt time than the centennial of American-Philippine 
relations to salute the enduring friendship between our two countries. 
It is a friendship which has flourished despite its tragic beginnings 
in a conflict first with the Spanish and subsequently with Filipino 
independince fighters. But we learned from that struggle and 
subsequently worked diligently to grant independence as quickly as 
possible. American teachers spread throughout the archipelago bringing 
the benefits of modern education to the majority of the country. In 
World War II, Filipino troops fought bravely side-by-side with American 
forces and Filipino guerrilla fighters were indispensable in the 
liberation of the Philippines from Japanese occupation. The Philippines 
continued, even after independence, to be America's most important ally 
in Asia, again contributing troops to the Korean Conflict and to the 
Vietnam War. We owe a debt of gratitude, if not more, to our Philippine 
friends. We all rejoiced when the Filipino ``people power revolution'' 
overthrew the Marcos dictatorship. The Mulitlateral Aid Initiative for 
the Philippines that the Amercian Congress launched following the fall 
of Marcos was an effort not only to demonstrate our support for 
Filipino democracy but also to show our lasting commitment to an 
enduring close relationship with the Philippines. This continues to be 
the basis for our policy and it is instructive that during the current 
Asian financial crisis it is the democratic country of the Philipines 
which has so far escaped the worst effects of the crisis
  I urge my colleagues to support this resolution of which I am an 
original cosponsor.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 404 
which commemorates the 100 years of relations between the people of the 
Philippines and the people of the United States.
  As an original co-sponsor of this resolution and a Member who 
represents one of the largest Filipino communities in the Nation, I am 
keenly aware of the many contributions that Filipinos have made to this 
country and of the immense importance of continued good relations with 
the nation of the Philippines.
  As President Clinton once said, the Philippines is our oldest friend 
in Asia.
  This bill recognizes the great sacrifices that the Filipinos made in 
the struggle against Japanese imperialism in World War II where they 
fought alongside American soldiers, as they did again in Korea and 
Vietnam.
  In addition to our historic ties, today our nations are also united 
by our strong economic ties. The Philippines is the twenty-first 
largest trading partner of the United States and absorbs a large amount 
of U.S. exports.
  As the years pass, I am confident that our bilateral relations will 
only grow stronger--the bonds between our nations go beyond the 
diplomatic relations we have with most nations; these are bonds between 
people fostered by our historic relationship and maintained out of 
mutual respect and admiration for one another.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, House Resolution 404.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________