BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    






                        SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS
                               BILL MORROW, CHAIRMAN
                                               


            Bill No:        AJR 2
            Author:         Evans
            Version:        As amended May 5, 2005
            Hearing Date:   June 28, 2005
            Fiscal:         No
            Consultant:     Donald E. Wilson


            

             SUBJECT OF BILL  :Benefits for Filipino veterans  
            
            EXISTING LAW AND BACKGROUND  :  In 1941, President Roosevelt  
            consolidated the Armed Forces of the Philippines under the  
            United States Armed Forces.  In 1934 the Philippines had  
            been given provisional autonomy as a step towards  
            independence.  Through various pieces of legislation, WWII  
            soldiers were promised a special naturalization process and  
            other benefits.  Before the official end of the war,  
            Congress designated Filipino veterans' status as not active  
            service attributable to benefits compensation.

            In 1990, George H. W. Bush granted citizenship to these  
            veterans.  In 2003, George W. Bush signed legislation  
            granting certain VA benefits to various fighting units who  
            contributed during the Philippines campaign.

            Several versions of this resolution have passed the  
            legislature since 1995.            

            PROPOSED LAW  :   Memorialize the President and Congress to  
            "honor the contributions of Filipino-American war veterans"  
            by paying benefits
             
            COMMENT  :  Three main issues dominate the benefits debate  
            surrounding Filipino veterans.  1.  What type of unit did a  
            veteran serve in?  2.  Is a unit recognized by the  
            government?  3. What country does said veteran resides in  












            today? 

            Many of the problems relating to unit qualification can be  
            traced to the semi-autonomous state of the Filipino  
            government at the time of WWII.  Some units belonged to the  
            United States while others were under the command of the  
            Filipino government or Filipino citizens.  

            Four main groups of Filipino veterans are recognized - Old  
            Scouts, Commonwealth Army, Guerrilla Services, and New  
            Scouts.   Old Scouts had been in existence since 1901 and  
            were always under the full control of the United States'  
            government.  According to the Veterans Administration, 
                 
                  "Filipino veterans who served with U.S. Forces in the  
            Regular Philippine Scouts      
                  before October 6, 1945, are entitled to all VA  
            benefits under the same criteria as 
                  apply to any veteran of U.S. military service."

            The Commonwealth Army, recognized Guerilla Services, and  
            New Scouts are "eligible for VA health care benefits in the  
            U.S. on the same basis as U.S. veterans if they reside in  
            the United States." All three also receive compensation for  
            service-connected disabilities in spite of the fact that  
            many guerilla groups worked in cooperation with U.S. Forces  
            and not under them.  New Scouts served until 1947 and were  
            technically loaned to US Armed Forces by the newly  
            independent government of the Philippines.  Benefits sent  
            to the Philippines are calculated at .50 cents on the  
            dollar.

            According to the author's office some remaining issues have  
            not been addressed at all: VA benefits for those living in  
            the Philippines, non-war related disability, non-disability  
            pensions low-income veterans, home-loan assistance for  
            those living in the United States, educational assistance  
            for U.S. and Philippine based dependents, and employment  
            services for those veterans and spouses based in the U.S.

            The American Coalition for Filipino Veterans is seeking  
            certain specific requests for this year.  Presently, the  
            hospital in Quesan City receives a half million dollars a  












            year stipend for veteran services.  The stipend is set to  
            expire in October 2005 and the coalition is seeking to make  
            the stipend ongoing.  Also, veterans now receive disability  
            payments of approximately $850 per month.  Filipino  
            veterans are seeking $200 per month if the veteran remains  
            in the Philippines.  The US Veterans Administration varies  
            payments using a formula that includes place of residence.   
            The $200 per month would be over double the per capita  
            income of the Philippines which is just over $1,000.

            The resolution itself however is broadly written and does  
            not address these specific issues or mention the gains made  
            under President George W. Bush.  It seems this AJR would be  
            more productive dealing with specifics rather than painting  
            issues with a broad brush and sending a message to  
            Washington, D.C. that implies the California State Senate  
            is unaware of the present situation of  Filipino-American  
            veterans. 

             SUPPORT  :        AFSCME
                                               Asian Americans for  
            Civil Rights and Equality

             OPPOSE  :         None received