[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5460]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                    BATAAN IS SYNONYMOUS FOR BRAVERY

  (Mr. FILNER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today close to the 59th anniversary 
of Bataan Day, April 9, 1942, to recognize the brave soldiers who were 
captured on this day and forced into the infamous Bataan Death March.
  I was honored to travel to the Philippines a few years ago to 
commemorate this day with then-President Ramos.
  The fall of Bataan in World War II involved the surrender of 70,000 
soldiers, 12,000 of whom were Americans and 58,000 Filipinos. Many died 
on the death march, and those who survived were imprisoned under 
inhumane conditions where countless more died.
  These soldiers and their comrades foiled plans for a quick takeover 
of the region and allowed the United States the time needed to prepare 
for victory in the Pacific. We can recognize their courage and bravery 
by passing H.R. 491, the Filipino Veterans Equity Act, which would 
recognize the great courage and bravery of the Filipino veterans in 
World War II and specifically on Bataan Day April 9, 1942.

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