[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 171 (Saturday, November 22, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2413]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    INTRODUCTION OF A BILL TO ALLOW FOR PRIORITY IN THE ISSUANCE OF 
IMMIGRANT VISAS TO SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF FILIPINO WORLD WAR II VETERANS

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                              HON. ED CASE

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 21, 2003

  Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill that will 
provide for the expedited reunification of the families of our Filipino 
World War II veterans who have become citizens of the United States.
  This body has many times over recognized the courage and commitment 
of the Filipino troops who fought alongside our armed forces in the 
Philippines during World War II. In 1990, we provided a waiver from 
certain naturalization requirements for these veterans, and many 
thereafter became proud citizens and residents of our country. And this 
year we appear poised to provide one further long-delayed and long-
denied measure of justice by granting them veterans benefits which were 
unjustly denied to them in 1946.
  But a huge gap still remains, for we did not also permit 
naturalization in 1990 to the children of these same veterans. What my 
bill does is allow for the sons and daughters of those veterans that 
became U.S. citizens through the process established in 1990 to have 
priority in their respective immigration categories.
  These are real-life issues, for the stories of families who have 
waited years to be reunited are heartbreaking. For example, a veteran 
and his wife living in Hawaii filed immigration petitions for two of 
their six adult children; they have waited over ten years for a visa to 
be issued to either. Another veteran petitioned successfully for his 
wife's immigration visa, but has not been as successful with the 
applications for their five adult children. Again, this family has been 
holding on for ten years with the hope that they will one day live in 
the U.S. as a complete family.
  As we all know, our Filipino World War II veterans are entering the 
sunset years of their lives. We have done what we can to give adequate 
veterans benefits for their commendable service. I now urge my 
colleagues to recognize and provide for the reunification of these 
families of our Filipino World War II veterans by supporting this bill.




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