[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5167-5168]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR OUR FILIPINO-AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND FOR FILIPINO 
                VETERANS ON FILIPINO VETERANS ACTION DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. ED CASE

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 24, 2004

  Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, and colleagues, good evening, aloha and 
mabuhay! I rise tonight, on this occasion of national Filipino Veterans 
Action Day, to express my strong and affectionate support for our great 
Filipino-American community, as well as for our honored Filipino 
veterans, both here and in the Philippines, who are so well represented 
by the American Council on Filipino Veterans, and to highlight just 
some of the challenges these communities still face and the 
opportunities we have to address them.
  First let us remember that the relationship between the Philippines 
and our United States has never been stronger. Our modern-day bond 
began after the 1898 Spanish American War, continued through the 
commonwealth period into 1946, and strengthened when the independent 
Republic of the Philippines came into existence on July 4th of that 
year. For nearly 40 years, from 1907 to 1946, the Philippines in fact 
was represented in the U.S. Congress through nearly 15 different 
resident commissioners. Currently, we have a Filipino-American, 
Congressman Bobby Scott, representing the 3rd District of Virginia. And 
one year ago, I was proud to be a charter member of the Congressional 
Philippines Caucus, which today boasts over seventy members.
  Apart from the Philippines' continuing vital role in U.S. national 
security and economic interests in the Asia-Pacific region, our country 
also has a special relationship with the people of the Philippines. 
Many have migrated to the United States, in particular my home state of 
Hawaii, which commemorates the 100th anniversary of our first Filipino 
immigrants in 2006.
  In fact, there are now nearly 2.5 million Filipino-Americans, with 
significant populations in California, Hawaii, Illinois, New York, New 
Jersey, Washington, Texas, and Florida. In Hawaii alone there are 
nearly 300,000 Filipino-Americans, including roughly 140,000 in my 
Second Congressional District, the largest number of any congressional 
district in our country.
  This community's contributions just in Hawaii are notable, in all 
facets of our society, from politics to business, from teaching to

[[Page 5168]]

sports and movie stars, you name it. Former Hawaii Governor Ben 
Cayetano was the first Filipino-American governor ever elected in the 
United States; our state legislature today has 12 members: 6 senators 
and 6 representatives. Angela Baraquio became Miss America in 2001. We 
had Ben Agbayani in professional baseball and Tia Carrera in Hollywood. 
And let us not forget native daughters Jasmine Trias and Camile 
Velasco, two of just twelve of 2004's American Idol final contestants.
  But perhaps the most vital and painful contribution of Filipinos to 
our country was the service, and sacrifice, of our Filipino veterans, 
who fought alongside our troops in World War II. Their heroic efforts 
were indispensable to the liberation of the Philippines led by General 
MacArthur and thus to Allied success in that great conflagration, and 
earned them a place in legend at the same table as, for example, our 
Japanese-Americans' 100th Infantry Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat 
Team.
  Therefore, the contribution of the American Coalition for Filipino 
Veterans to designate today as Filipino Veterans Action Day is 
invaluable to assuring that we never forget. There have been similar 
efforts in Hawaii from community leaders like Hawaii State 
Representative Jun Abinsay, Joe Gonzales and Artemio Caleda, former and 
new presidents, respectively, of the World War II Fil-Am Vets and 
Ladies Auxilliary Hawaii Chapter, and Domingo Los Banos, a Sergeant 
with the 1st Filipino Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army, who later worked 
collaboratively with many others in Hawaii and the mainland in molding 
that great documentary on the Filipino veterans: ``An Untold Triumph.''
  Let me turn now from what has been to what needs to be. Specifically, 
there are two issues which I believe Congress must address for both 
Filipino veterans and our Filipino-American community at large. One is 
veterans' benefits and the other is immigration.


                           veterans benefits

  We know that in 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt made a 
promise to the members of the Philippine Army and the Philippine Scouts 
who had fought and would fight for the Allies in World War II. Because 
they had made and would make the same sacrifices as U.S. 
servicemembers, President Roosevelt promised that they would receive 
the same veteran's benefits as those received by American veterans.
  However, in the spring of 1946, just one year after the death of our 
32nd President, the United States Congress went back on its promise. 
And that injustice stands uncorrected from that day to this, as these 
veterans pass increasingly from this earth along with their comrades-
in-arms.
  Last year, we did make some measure of progress by enacting into law 
H.R. 2297, legislation increasing VA benefits for U.S. resident 
Filipino veterans and making New Philippine Scouts living in the U.S. 
eligible for burial in VA national cemeteries. The House also passed 
H.R. 2357, which would provide VA nursing home and medical services to 
Commonwealth Army veterans and New Philippine Scouts residing in the 
U.S., assuming they-meet the same eligibility requirements as U.S. 
veterans.
  But this is clearly not enough. That is why I am a cosponsor of H.R. 
677, the Filipino Veterans Equity Act, which will deem all members of 
the Philippine Scouts and Philippine Army as qualified to receive the 
full benefits denied them nearly six decades ago.
  As Secretary of Veterans' Affairs Anthony J. Principi wrote: ``The 
United States is indebted to Filipino veterans, whose heroism and self-
sacrifice helped allies emerge victorious from World War II.'' As we 
all know, our Filipino World War II veterans are entering the sunset 
years of their lives. I implore my colleagues to get this bill out of 
committee and bring it to the floor for a vote this year.


                              immigration

  Our country has benefited from the fruits of a century-plus influx of 
Filipinos as new and productive citizens, and we can and should 
continue this rich heritage. However, our overall immigration policy 
has fallen particularly harshly and unfairly on legitimate Filipino 
immigration of late.
  For example, in 1990, we provided a waiver from certain 
naturalization requirements for Filipino veterans, and many thereafter 
became proud citizens our country. But a huge gap was created when we 
did not also permit naturalization of the sons and daughters of these 
same veterans.
  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.
  H.R. 3587, a bill I introduced in November of last year, would 
provide these sons and daughters with priority in their respective 
immigration categories. I urge its passage.
  Two other bills I have introduced also would correct deficiencies in 
our immigration system which impact Filipino-Americans 
disproportionately. H.R. 3306, The Compassionate Visitor Visa Act, 
would facilitate the temporary admission of nonimmigrant aliens in 
circumstances of family emergency of U.S. citizens or permanent 
residents. H.R. 4018, introduced yesterday, would ensure that family 
members who have petitioned to immigrate into the United States are not 
penalized as a result of an award of citizenship to a sponsoring parent 
or spouse.
  Both bills recognize the basic concept that our country can ensure 
our national security, while providing flexibility for immigrants from 
certain countries that have longstanding close relationships with our 
country. The Philippines is certainly very high on that list.
  In summary, Mr. Speaker, both Filipino veterans and our larger 
Filipino-American community have contributed immensely to our country, 
and I believe that the best is yet to come. On this Filipino Veterans 
Action Day, let us recognize that we do what is right for both the past 
and the future by acknowledging their contributions and committing 
ourselves to the unfinished business at hand.
  Mahalo!
    

                          ____________________