BILL ANALYSIS
AJR 2
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Date of Hearing: April 12, 2005
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS
Mike Gordon, Chair
AJR 2 (Evans) - As Introduced: December 6, 2005
SUBJECT: Benefits for Filipino Veterans
SUMMARY: Memorializes the President and Congress to grant
full veterans benefits to Filipino veterans of the United States
Armed Forces. Specifically, this joint resolution:
1)Provides several historical statistics reflecting Filipino
contributions during World War II.
2)States that America has failed to meet promises made to those
Filipino soldiers who fought as American soldiers during World
War II.
3)States that Congress, in 1946, passed legislation which
precluded Filipino veterans from receiving benefits available
to them prior to 1946.
4)Memorializes the President and Congress to favorably consider
legislation granting full benefits to Filipino veterans of the
United States Armed Forces. This would include hospital and
nursing home care, as well as medical services, pension, and
burial benefits.
EXISTING LAW As a result of the Rescission Act of 1946, Title
38, Section 107(a) of the United States Code explicitly
precludes service in World War II by organized Filipino military
forces from qualifying as active service in the U.S. Military
for purposes of benefits under programs administered by the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
FISCAL EFFECT: None.
COMMENTS: During and after World War II, there were several
groups of Filipino soldiers who served under the American flag,
including: (a) those who fought in regular components of the
U.S. Armed Forces, including Philippine Scouts (called "Old
Scouts"), who served prior to October 6, 1945, (b) members of
the Commonwealth Army of the Philippines, called into service
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between 1941 and 1946, and (c) Special Scouts ("New Scouts"),
formed in 1945.
Following World War II, medical benefits were given to those who
served in the U.S. Armed Forces or were Old Scouts. Medical
benefits, at the rate of $.50 per dollar, were provided to those
Commonwealth Army and New Scout veterans who died, were wounded,
or disabled.
In recent years, the California Legislature has overwhelmingly
passed several resolutions, all similar to the one being
proposed, asking Congress to grant benefits to Commonwealth Army
and New Scouts veterans. These resolutions have had the
positive effect of increasing congressional support for the
issues addressed in the resolution.
Previous legislation
SJR 14 (Solis), 1995-1996 Session. This resolution memorialized
the President and the Congress of the United States to act
favorably on legislation relating to the granting to Filipino
veterans of the United States Armed Forces full veterans
benefits. Chapter 48, Statutes of 1995.
AJR 51 (Baldwin, et al.), 1995-1996 Session. This resolution
memorialized the President and the Congress of the United States
to act favorably on legislation giving proper recognition to the
service of all Filipino veterans during World War II, and on
legislation granting full veterans' benefits to all Filipino
veterans of the United States Armed Forces. Chapter 80,
Statutes of 1996.
SJR 6 (Solis), 1997-1998 Session. This resolution memorialized
the President and
the Congress of the United States to take action necessary to
honor our country's moral obligation to provide Filipino
veterans with the military benefits that they deserve,
including, but not limited to, holding related hearing, and
acting favorably on legislation pertaining to the granting of
full veterans' benefits to Filipino veterans of the United
States Armed Forces. Chapter 93, Statutes of 1997.
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SJR 35 (Solis), 1997-1998 Session. This resolution memorialized
the President and the Congress of the United States to hold
hearings and act favorably on federal legislation which would
grant to Filipino veterans, who served with U.S. armed forces
during World War II, full veterans' benefits. Chapter 46,
Statutes of 1998.
SCR 89 (Johnston), 1997-1998 Session. This resolution
recognized the heroic deeds of the 1st and 2nd Filipino Infantry
Regiments, United States Army, as "California's Own," and
supports documentation of their story in the film "An Untold
Triumph: America's Filipino Soldiers." Chapter 71, Statutes of
1998.
SCR 68 (Ayala), 1997-1998 Session. This resolution recognized
and commends the
valor of the men and women of the United States and the Republic
of the Philippines who served on the Bataan Peninsula and on
Corregidor Island during World War II.
Chapter 92, Statutes of 1998.
SR 15 (Hayden), 1997-1998 Session. This resolution commends the
Filipino veterans
who served under U.S. command during World War II. It requests
the California Senate to urge the President of the United States
and the U.S. Congress to honor immediately its moral obligation
to provide Filipino veterans with the military benefits they
deserve. Enrolled during 1997 session.
AJR 28 (Duheny), 1997-1998 Session. This resolution would
memorialize and urge the President and Congress of the United
States to enact House Resolution 836, to provide full benefits
from the Department of Veterans Affairs to veterans who served
in the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the Special Philippine
Scouts during World War II. Chapter 80, Statutes of 1997.
SJR 6 (Solis), 1999-2000 Session. This measure memorialized the
President and Congress to grant full veterans benefits to
Filipino veterans of the United States Armed Forces. Chapter
65, Statutes of 1999.
SJR 25 (Solis), 1999-2000 Session. This resolution urged the
President and Congress to grant full veterans' benefits to
Filipino veterans of the United States Armed Forces. Chapter
116, Statutes of 2000.
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AJR 15 (Robert Pacheco), 1999-2000 Session. This resolution
urged the President and Congress to grant full veterans benefits
to Filipino veterans of the United States Armed Forces. Chapter
101, Statutes of 1999.
AJR 49 (Bock), 1999-2000 Session. This resolution memorialized
the President and Congress to grant full veterans'
benefits to Filipino veterans of the United States Armed Forces.
Chapter 151, Statutes of 2000.
AJR 20 (La Suer), 2001-2002 Session. This resolution
memorialized the President and the Congress of the United States
during the First Session of the 107th Congress to take action
necessary to grant full veterans benefits to Filipino veterans
of the United States Armed Forces. Chapter 118, Statutes of
2001.
ACR 187 (Nakano), 2001-2002 Session. This resolution recognizes
April 9, 2002, as the 60th anniversary of the fall of Bataan and
honor the services of the Filipino-American World War II
veterans now living in the State of California. Chapter 65,
Statutes of 2002.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Asian Pacific American Legal Center of Southern California
Filipinos for Affirmative Action
Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality
Several individual letters in support
Opposition
None of file
Analysis Prepared by : Anthony Newman / V. A. / (916) 319-3550