[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 127 (Monday, September 27, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H8827]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   FILIPINO WORLD WAR II VETERANS DESERVE OUR RESPECT AND OUR THANKS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, in April of 1999 I was proud to join the 
distinguished chairman of the House Committee on International 
Relations, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), in introducing 
H.R. 1594, the Filipino Veterans' Benefit Improvement Act.
  I rise today to urge my colleagues to support this legislation. 
Preliminary steps have already been taken toward restoring fairness to 
the veterans of World War II who are of Filipino descent. In 1996, 
Members of this House and our colleagues in the Senate passed 
concurrent resolutions to recognize these brave veterans for their 
service and contribution toward the successful outcome of World War II.
  In October of 1996, President Clinton issued a presidential 
proclamation recalling the courage, the sacrifice, and the loyalty of 
the Filipino veterans of World War II and honoring them for their 
contribution to our freedom. Hearings have been held in both the House 
and the Senate on the issue of benefits for Filipino World War II 
veterans; and the President included a line item in both FY 1999 and FY 
2000 presidential budgets for Filipino World War II veterans.
  Then just 3 months ago, the Filipino Veterans' SSI Extension Act, 
H.R. 26, was incorporated into H.R. 1802, which passed this House. This 
bill will allow Filipino World War II veterans who are currently on SSI 
and living in the United States to return to the Philippines if they 
wish to do so, taking a portion of their SSI with them. Many are 
currently living alone and in poverty, financially unable to bring 
their families to the United States, nor to return to their homeland.
  Most importantly, H.R. 1802 will allow those who wish to return to 
the Philippines to be with their loved ones in their final days, but it 
also saves the U.S. Government money, money that could be used to 
balance the costs of the bill that the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Gilman) and I have introduced, the Filipino Veterans' Benefits 
Improvement Act.
  These actions are important first steps in our quest for justice and 
equity. Now is the time to build upon these steps and restore the 
benefits that Filipino World War II veterans were promised when they 
were drafted into military service by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. 
With their vital participation so crucial to the successful outcome of 
this war, one would assume that the United States would be grateful to 
their Filipino comrades. So it is hard to believe that soon after the 
war ended, the 79th Congress voted to take away the benefits and 
recognition of Filipino World War II veterans in what was called the 
Rescissions Act of 1946.
  The gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) and I, along with 209 
cosponsors of last year's Veterans Equity Act, are now asking our 
colleagues to correct this injustice that these veterans have endured 
for over 50 years.
  Because the Filipino World War II veterans are in their seventies and 
eighties, their most urgent need is for health care. Our bill that we 
have introduced will provide access to VA medical facilities for these 
veterans, both in the United States and in the Philippines. We have 
designed the bill so that it will also provide greater access to VA 
medical facilities in the Philippines for U.S. veterans who are living 
abroad. In addition, the bill will also increase the service-connected 
disability compensation from what is called the peso rate to the full 
dollar amount for Filipino World War II veterans living in the United 
States, as called for in the President's budget.
  The rationale for a lower payment simply does not exist for the 
veterans who are now U.S. citizens. All this can be achieved, Mr. 
Speaker, for $36 million a year. This should be included in our final 
budget negotiations. I would urge my colleagues to support this cost-
effective humanitarian measure.
  Taken together, these acts are the steps we must take during this 
session of Congress on behalf of our brave colleagues who serve side by 
side with the forces from the United States. The House has passed the 
SSI Extension Act. Let us now join together in a bipartisan effort to 
restore health benefits to the Filipino World War II benefits.
  Let us pass H.R. 1594, the Filipino Veterans' Benefits Improvement 
Act.

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