Washington, D.C. – House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA) released the following statement on the Filipino Veterans provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act approved by Congress and sent to President Obama:
“Sixty-three years ago, President Truman signed the Rescission Acts which denied the Filipino veterans of World War II equal status as American veterans, stripping them of equal recognition, compensation, and benefits. These Filipino soldiers, who swore an oath of allegiance to the United States, fought side-by-side with American soldiers under the American flag. Despite the gallant efforts of the Filipino soldiers during the war, Congress still passed the Rescission Acts, which denied these veterans their rightfully earned respect, benefits, and honor.
“Twelve years ago, I joined Filipino veterans in protest in front of the White House and demanded equitable treatment. Together, we pleaded with America’s leaders to acknowledge the contributions of these veterans, recognize the injustice visited upon them, and act to correct this injustice. Unfortunately, the historical record remained blotted and Filipino veterans were not granted the rights they had earned and deserve.
“Today, I am thrilled that the 111th Congress has resolutely acted to acknowledge the Filipino veterans for their steadfast contributions to the successful outcome of World War II. H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, corrects this long-standing inequity, recognizes their noble service, and provides a one-time payment of $15,000 to Filipino veterans who are American citizens and $9,000 to veterans who are Philippine citizens. This compensation is intended to assist them in their later years and provide the dignity and honor that they earned as heroic veterans of the United States.
“This victory, however, comes with a note of sadness. While approximately 300,000 Filipinos fought under the American flag during World War II, less than 18,000 are alive today to celebrate this vindication. Just two months ago, the Filipino veteran community lost one of their most tireless advocates, Joaquin Tejada. I know that his dedication to this cause was vital and I am certain that his smile continues to shine brightly. I salute these fallen heroes.
“As we celebrate this momentous occasion, I call on all Americans to join me in remembering and honoring the Filipino veterans who fought for our freedom.”
A NOTE FROM Lillian, Director Filipinos for Affirmative Action
A Major MILESTONE and VICTORY in the Long Battle for Justice for FILIPINO WWII VETERANS!!
The provisions for lump sum payments to Filipino WWII veterans plus recognition for their service in the U.S. Military during WWII survived the stimulus bill debate and is included in the package that passed Friday Feb. 13th in the House and Senate late last night. The whole package now goes to President Obama, who is expected to sign this into law on Monday.
We know that there is important work ahead of us, not only to make sure this law is implemented quickly and correctly on behalf of our veterans, but also to continue to work on their behalf to pick up the remaining pieces of the full equity agenda. But this is an important victory for our veterans and for our community.
We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Sen. Inouye who has championed this cause for 20 years and took the initiative to include this in the stimulus legislation. We are also indebted to key legislators like Rep. Filner, Rep. Honda, Speaker Pelosi, Sen. Akaka and Sen. Reid who all introduced and fought for Filipino WWII vets legislation year after year since the 105th Congress.
This is cause for celebration and continued commitment to Justice for Filipino WWII veterans. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONSISTENT ADVOCACY ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE. It isn’t everyday that we win something for our community.
Information about implementation will be made available as we learn it. To see the National Alliance for Filipino Veteran’s Equity (NAFVE) Press Release go to www.nafve.org
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