BILL NUMBER: AJR 6	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Members Ma, Cook, and Fong
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Eng, Furutani, Hayashi, Pan,
Williams, and Yamada)
   (Coauthors: Senators Lieu, Liu, and Yee)

                        FEBRUARY 23, 2011

   Relative to Filipino veterans.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AJR 6, as introduced, Ma. Filipino veterans.
   This measure would request that the Congress and the President of
the United States enact the Filipino Veterans Fairness Act of 2011
(H.R. 210).
   Fiscal committee: no.



   WHEREAS, At the time of World War II, Filipinos, who volunteered
to fight in the war, were promised full veterans' benefits by the
United States Government; and
   WHEREAS, More than 250,000 Filipinos signed up to serve in the war
in response to this promise; and
   WHEREAS, In 1946, President Truman signed the first Supplemental
Surplus Appropriation Rescission Act (Public Law 79-301) and the
second Supplemental Surplus Appropriation Rescission Act (Public Law
79-391), or more commonly known as the Rescission Acts of 1946, which
reneged on the promise of full veterans' benefits for Filipinos that
fought as members of the military forces of the Government of the
Commonwealth of the Philippines, recognized guerilla forces, and the
New Philippine Scouts; and
   WHEREAS, This denied almost 250,000 Filipino soldiers the benefits
they earned serving to protect the United States; and
   WHEREAS, The "Old" or Regular Filipino Scouts were entitled to all
benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, while
the military forces of the Government of the Commonwealth of the
Philippines, recognized guerilla forces, and the New Philippine
Scouts were all denied the same benefits, even though they fought
alongside the Regular Filipino Scouts; and
   WHEREAS, Congresswoman Jackie Speier introduced the "Filipino
Veterans Fairness Act of 2011" (H.R. 210) to attempt to make up for
the terrible injustice that resulted after the Rescission Acts of
1946 stripped the benefits promised to, and earned by, the Filipino
soldiers, guerilla forces, and citizens who fought unwaveringly for
the United States, thereby earning benefits just as United States
soldiers did; and
   WHEREAS, H.R. 210 restores the average monthly pension of $1,500,
medical care, burial services, and all other benefits that are as of
now deemed available only to United States citizens; and
   WHEREAS, H.R. 210 would allow, for the first time, the widows and
widowers of the Filipino veterans, who are deceased, to receive the
benefits that their spouses bravely earned, but sadly, did not live
to receive; and
   WHEREAS, In 2007, the Legislature unanimously approved Senate
Joint Resolution 5 requesting the Congress and the President of the
United States to enact the Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2007; and
   WHEREAS, There is a sense of urgency to pass H.R. 210 because
approximately 50,000 Filipino veterans are still alive, and with the
passing of each day, more of these brave soldiers will become
deceased; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of
California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of California
respectfully requests the Congress and the President of the United
States to enact the Filipino Veterans Fairness Act of 2011 (H.R.
210); and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United
States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the
Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative
from California in the Congress of the United States.