[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 46 (Tuesday, April 9, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2506-S2507]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SCHATZ (for himself and Ms. Hirono):
  S. 690. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to deem certain 
service in the organized military forces of the Government of the 
Commonwealth of the Philippines and the Philippine Scouts to have been 
active service for purposes of benefits under programs administered by 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; to the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs.
  Mr. SCHATZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.

[[Page S2507]]

  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 690

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Filipino Veterans Fairness 
     Act of 2013''.

     SEC. 2. CERTAIN SERVICE IN THE ORGANIZED MILITARY FORCES OF 
                   THE PHILIPPINES AND THE PHILIPPINE SCOUTS 
                   DEEMED TO BE ACTIVE SERVICE.

       (a) In General.--Section 107 of title 38, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) by striking ``not'' after ``Army of the United States, 
     shall''; and
       (B) by striking ``, except benefits under--'' and all that 
     follows in that subsection and inserting a period;
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) by striking ``not'' after ``Armed Forces Voluntary 
     Recruitment Act of 1945 shall''; and
       (B) by striking ``except--'' and all that follows in that 
     subsection and inserting a period;
       (3) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:
       ``(c) Determination of Eligibility.--
       ``(1) In general.--In determining the eligibility of the 
     service of an individual under this section, the Secretary 
     shall take into account any alternative documentation 
     regarding such service, including documentation other than 
     the Missouri List, that the Secretary determines relevant.
       ``(2) Report.--Not later than March 1 of each year, the 
     Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs 
     of the Senate and Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House 
     of Representatives a report that includes--
       ``(A) the number of individuals applying for benefits 
     pursuant to this section during the previous year; and
       ``(B) the number of such individuals that the Secretary 
     approved for benefits.''; and
       (4) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:
       ``(d) Relation to Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation 
     Fund.--Section 1002(h) of the American Recovery and 
     Reinvestment Act of 2009 (title X of division A of Public Law 
     111-5; 123 Stat. 200; 38 U.S.C. 107 note) shall not apply to 
     an individual described in subsection (a) or (b) of this 
     section.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--(1) The heading of such section 
     is amended to read as follows:

     ``Sec. 107. Certain service deemed to be active service: 
       service in organized military forces of the Philippines and 
       in the Philippine Scouts''.

       (2) The item relating to such section in the table of 
     sections at the beginning of chapter 1 of such title is 
     amended to read as follows:

``107. Certain service deemed to be active service: service in 
              organized military forces of the Philippines and in the 
              Philippine Scouts.''.

     SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

       (a) In General.--The amendments made by this Act shall take 
     effect on the date that is 90 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.
       (b) Applicability.--No benefits shall accrue to any person 
     for any period before the effective date of this Act by 
     reason of the amendments made by this Act.

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