[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 20 (Thursday, February 4, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1281-S1284]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. INOUYE:
  S. 381. A bill to allow certain individuals who provided service to 
the Armed Forces of the United States in the Philippines during World 
War II to receive a reduced SSI benefit after moving back to the 
Philippines.


                          veterans legislation

 Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise to introduce a bill that 
would allow Filipino World War II veterans to receive 75 percent of 
their Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits after moving back to 
the Philippines. The reduced benefits reflect the lower cost of living 
and per capita income in the Philippines. In order to be eligible, 
Filipino veterans must be receiving SSI benefits as of the date of 
enactment of this legislation, and must have served in the Philippine 
Commonwealth Army and recognized guerilla units during World War II 
before December 31, 1946. Under current law, individuals who receive 
SSI benefits must relinquish those benefits should they choose to 
reside outside the United States.
  There are approximately 25,000 Filipino veterans who became 
naturalized citizens under the Immigration Act of 1990. Due to their 
age, the 1990 Act was subsequently amended to allow these veterans to 
be naturalized in the Philippines. It is unclear how many Filipino 
veterans reside in the United States as a result of the 1990 Act. 
However, some veterans came with the expectation of receiving pension 
benefits and a recognition of their military service. Instead, many are 
on welfare, living in poverty-stricken areas, and financially unable to 
petition their families to immigrate to the United States. Passage of 
this measure would help provide for these veterans upon return to their 
families in the Philippines.
  As some of my colleagues know, I am an advocate for the Filipino 
veterans of World War II. I have sponsored several measures on their 
behalf to correct an injustice and seek equal treatment for their 
valiant military service in our Armed Forces. Members of the Philippine 
Commonwealth Army were called into the service of the United States 
Forces of the Far East, and under the command of General Douglas 
MacArthur joined our American soldiers in fighting some of the fiercest 
battles of World War II. Regretfully, the Congress betrayed our 
Filipino allies by enacting the Rescission Act of 1946. The 1946 Act, 
now codified as 38 U.S.C. 107 deems the military service of Filipino 
veterans as not active service for purposes of any law of the United 
States conferring rights, privileges or benefits. The measure I 
introduce today will not diminish my efforts to correct this injustice. 
As long as it takes, I will continue to seek equal treatment on behalf 
of the Filipino veterans of World War II.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill text be printed 
in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 381

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. PROVISION OF REDUCED SSI BENEFIT TO CERTAIN 
                   INDIVIDUALS WHO PROVIDED SERVICE TO THE ARMED 
                   FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES IN THE PHILIPPINES 
                   DURING WORLD WAR II AFTER THEY MOVE BACK TO THE 
                   PHILIPPINES.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding sections 1611(b), 
     1611(f)(1), and 1614(a)(1)(B)(i) of the Social Security Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1382(b), (f)(1), 1382c(a)(1)(B)(i))--
       (1) the eligibility of a qualified individual for benefits 
     under the supplemental security income program under title 
     XVI of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.) shall not terminate 
     by reason of a change in the place of residence of the 
     individual to the Philippines; and
       (2) the benefits payable to the individual under such 
     program shall be reduced by 25 percent for so long as the 
     place of residence of the individual is in the Philippines.
       (b) Qualified Individual Defined.--In subsection (a), the 
     term ``qualified individual'' means an individual who--
       (1) as of the date of enactment of this Act, is receiving 
     benefits under the supplemental security income program under 
     title XVI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 et 
     seq.); and
       (2) before December 31, 1946, served in the organized 
     military forces of the Government of the Commonwealth of the 
     Philippines while such forces were in the service of the 
     Armed Forces of the United States pursuant to the military 
     order of the President dated July 26, 1941, including among 
     such military forces organized guerrilla forces under 
     commanders appointed, designated, or subsequently recognized 
     by the Commander in Chief, Southwest Pacific Area, or other 
     competent military authority in the Army of the United 
     States.

[[Page S1283]]

                         ADDITIONAL COSPONSORS


                                  S. 3

  At the request of Mr. Grams, the names of the Senator from Oklahoma 
(Mr. Inhofe), the Senator from New Hampshire (Mr. Smith), and the 
Senator from Mississippi (Mr. Cochran) were added as cosponsors of S. 
3, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reduce 
individual income tax rates by 10 percent.


                                  S. 5

  At the request of Mr. DeWine, the name of the Senator from 
Mississippi (Mr. Cochran) was added as a cosponsor of S. 5, a bill to 
reduce the transportation and distribution of illegal drugs and to 
strengthen domestic demand reduction, and for other purposes.


                                  S. 7

  At the request of Mr. Daschle, the name of the Senator from Louisiana 
(Ms. Landrieu) was added as a cosponsor of S. 7, a bill to modernize 
public schools for the 21st century.


                                 S. 10

  At the request of Mr. Daschle, the name of the Senator from Nevada 
(Mr. Reid) was added as a cosponsor of S. 10, a bill to provide health 
protection and needed assistance for older Americans, including access 
to health insurance for 55 to 65 year olds, assistance for individuals 
with long-term care needs, and social services for older Americans.


                                 S. 13

  At the request of Mr. Sessions, the name of the Senator from New 
Jersey (Mr. Torricelli) was added as a cosponsor of S. 13, a bill to 
amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide additional tax 
incentives for education.


                                 S. 14

  At the request of Mr. Coverdell, the names of the Senator from Idaho 
(Mr. Craig), and the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Ashcroft) were added as 
cosponsors of S. 14, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
to expand the use of education individual retirement accounts, and for 
other purposes.


                                 S. 33

  At the request of Mr. Thurmond, the name of the Senator from Colorado 
(Mr. Allard) was added as a cosponsor of S. 33, a bill to amend title 
II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and section 504 of 
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to exclude prisoners from the 
requirements of that title and section.


                                 S. 74

  At the request of Mr. Daschle, the name of the Senator from 
Connecticut (Mr. Dodd) was added as a cosponsor of S. 74, a bill to 
amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide more effective 
remedies to victims of discrimination in the payment of wages on the 
basis of sex, and for other purposes.


                                 S. 98

  At the request of Mr. McCain, the names of the Senator from Hawaii 
(Mr. Inouye), the Senator from Nebraska (Mr. Hagel), and the Senator 
from Tennessee (Mr. Frist) were added as cosponsors of S. 98, a bill to 
authorize appropriations for the Surface Transportation Board for 
fiscal years 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002, and for other purposes.


                                 S. 147

  At the request of Mr. Abraham, the name of the Senator from North 
Carolina (Mr. Helms) was added as a cosponsor of S. 147, a bill to 
provide for a reduction in regulatory costs by maintaining Federal 
average fuel economy standards applicable to automobiles in effect at 
current levels until changed by law, and for other purposes.


                                 S. 170

  At the request of Mr. Smith, the names of the Senator from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Santorum), and the Senator from Nebraska (Mr. Kerrey) 
were added as cosponsors of S. 170, a bill to permit revocation by 
members of the clergy of their exemption from Social Security coverage.


                                 S. 185

  At the request of Mr. Ashcroft, the names of the Senator from Hawaii 
(Mr. Inouye), the Senator from North Dakota (Mr. Conrad), and the 
Senator from Oregon (Mr. Wyden) were added as cosponsors of S. 185, a 
bill to establish a Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the 
United States Trade Representative.


                                 S. 211

  At the request of Mr. Moynihan, the names of the Senator from 
Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes), the Senator from Nebraska (Mr. Kerrey), and 
the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Torricelli) were added as cosponsors 
of S. 211, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make 
permanent the exclusion for employer-provided educational assistance 
programs, and for other purposes.


                                 S. 247

  At the request of Mr. Hatch, the names of the Senator from Vermont 
(Mr. Jeffords), and the Senator from Mississippi (Mr. Cochran) were 
added as cosponsors of S. 247, a bill to amend title 17, United States 
Code, to reform the copyright law with respect to satellite 
retransmissions of broadcast signals, and for other purposes.


                                 S. 258

  At the request of Mr. McCain, the name of the Senator from Wisconsin 
(Mr. Kohl) was added as a cosponsor of S. 258, a bill to authorize 
additional rounds of base closures and realignments under the Defense 
Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 in 2001 and 2003, and for 
other purposes.


                                 S. 314

  At the request of Mr. Bond, the name of the Senator from Michigan 
(Mr. Levin) was added as a cosponsor of S. 314, a bill to provide for a 
loan guarantee program to address the Year 2000 computer problems of 
small business concerns, and for other purposes.


                                 S. 315

  At the request of Mr. Ashcroft, the names of the Senator from South 
Dakota (Mr. Johnson), the Senator from Idaho (Mr. Crapo), the Senator 
from Kansas (Mr. Brownback), and the Senator from North Dakota (Mr. 
Conrad) were added as cosponsors of S. 315, a bill to amend the 
Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to require the President to report to 
Congress on any selective embargo on agricultural commodities, to 
provide a termination date for the embargo, to provide greater 
assurances for contract sanctity, and for other purposes.


                                 S. 322

  At the request of Mr. Campbell, the names of the Senator from 
Louisiana (Ms. Landrieu), the Senator from Minnesota (Mr. Grams), the 
Senator from Vermont (Mr. Jeffords), the Senator from Massachusetts 
(Mr. Kennedy), the Senator from Oregon (Mr. Smith), the Senator from 
Nebraska (Mr. Kerrey), and the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. 
Rockefeller) were added as cosponsors of S. 322, a bill to amend title 
4, United States Code, to add the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday to the 
list of days on which the flag should especially be displayed.


                                 S. 327

  At the request of Mr. Hagel, the name of the Senator from Vermont 
(Mr. Leahy) was added as a cosponsor of S. 327, a bill to exempt 
agricultural products, medicines, and medical products from U.S. 
economic sanctions.


                                 S. 331

  At the request of Mr. Jeffords, the name of the Senator from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Specter) was added as a cosponsor of S. 331, a bill 
to amend the Social Security Act to expand the availability of health 
care coverage for working individuals with disabilities, to establish a 
Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program in the Social Security 
Administration to provide such individuals with meaningful 
opportunities to work, and for other purposes.


                                 S. 343

  At the request of Mr. Bond, the name of the Senator from Missouri 
(Mr. Ashcroft) was added as a cosponsor of S. 343, a bill to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a deduction for 100 percent of 
the health insurance costs of self-employed individuals.


                                 S. 344

  At the request of Mr. Bond, the name of the Senator from Missouri 
(Mr. Ashcroft) was added as a cosponsor of S. 344, A biil to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a safe harbor for determining 
that certain individuals are not employees.


                                 S. 346

  At the request of Mrs. Hutchison, the name of the Senator from 
Illinois (Mr. Fitzgerald) was added as a cosponsor of S. 346, a bill to 
amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to prohibit the recoupment 
of funds recovered by States from one or more tobacco manufacturers.

[[Page S1284]]



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