[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 149 (Thursday, September 18, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H8401]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page H8401]]
                    VETERANS BENEFIT ENHANCEMENT ACT

  (Mr. SCOTT of Virginia asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise to speak today in 
support of the bill S. 1315, the Veterans Benefit Enhancement Act of 
2007, which contains a provision that gives veterans' benefits to 
Filipinos who fought under the U.S. flag during World War II.
  As the only Member of Congress with any Filipino ancestry, I'm 
pleased to speak today in support of these benefits for Filipino 
veterans.
  Members of the Commonwealth of the Philippines' military were 
promised full veterans' benefits if they fought for the United States 
during World War II. Because of this promise, many Filipino soldiers 
fought tirelessly and courageously for the United States, and they 
helped us defeat the Japanese empire in the Pacific.
  We have failed to fulfill our promise, and these veterans deserve the 
benefits that they were promised over 60 years ago. S. 1315 provides 
surviving Filipino veterans, all of whom are now in their eighties, 
with full veterans' benefits.
  In honor of the service of the Filipino veterans, I urge the House of 
Representatives to act swiftly and to take up and pass S. 1315.

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