[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 64 (Monday, May 16, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E987]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       WE ARE ALMOST OUT OF TIME

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                            HON. BOB FILNER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 16, 2005

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, I rise to join with my 
colleagues in the recognition of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. 
The contributions of Asian Pacific Islander Americans throughout the 
history of the United States are widely known.
  One of the contributions that has never been properly acknowledged by 
the United States and by Congress is the part that was played in World 
War II by soldiers of the Philippines, a territory of the United States 
at that time.
  They were drafted in World War II by President Roosevelt. They did 
not say no. They fought bravely and gallantly, in the battles of Bataan 
and Corrigidor, and the bullets did not distinguish between those who 
were U.S. citizens at the time and those who were citizens of the 
Philippines. Death did not make a distinction. The participation of the 
Filipino soldiers was critical to the successful outcome of the war in 
the Pacific. We owe them a great deal.
  And yet, in 1946, the Congress said thank you, but no thank you. 
Congress withdrew the benefits that these brave men were promised. 
Although some positive steps were taken in the six decades since the 
war, we have not properly redeemed that promise.
  Congressman Cunningham and I have introduced H.R. 302, the Filipino 
Veterans Equity Act, and Senator Inouye has introduced a companion bill 
in the Senate, S. 146. These bills will complete the job and restore 
all the benefits that were rescinded by Congress. The passage of these 
bills will benefit the Filipino veterans in a substantial way.
  But, at a deeper level, these bills are also about restoring dignity 
and honor to these proud veterans. Sixty years of injustice burn in the 
hearts of the Filipino World War II Veterans and in the hearts of their 
sons and daughters. It is time that our nation recognizes their 
contributions, recognizes the injustice, and acts to correct it. To 
those who say that we cannot afford to redeem this debt, I answer that 
we cannot afford not to! The historical record remains blotted until we 
recognize these veterans.
  In passing these bills, we can make good on the promise of America.

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