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CALIFORNIA URGES U.S. CONGRESS TO GRANT FULL
BENEFITS TO FILIPINO VETERANS -- "It is our
responsibility
to continue looking after the well-being of
these citizens
who fought so hard for our country's freedom."
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California Urges Congress to Grant Full
Benefits for Filipino Veterans
California Political Desk
Yee Fights for Filipino WWII Veterans to Receive Hard-Earned Benefits.
SACRAMENTO – With the unanimous approval of Senate Joint Resolution (SJR)
5, California officially urged Congress to pass the Filipino Veterans
Equity Act. Earlier this year, the State Senate voted 34-0 in favor of
the legislation authored by Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San
Mateo) and today the Assembly passed the measure 77-0.
The Filipino Veterans Equity Act would reinstitute benefits stripped
from Filipino WWII veterans sixty-one years ago by the 1946 Rescission
Act. The benefit, which includes healthcare, disability pensions, and
burial expenses, is much needed for many of the 24,000 surviving
Filipino veterans and their families.
“It is our responsibility to continue looking after the well-being of
these citizens who fought so hard for our country’s freedom,” said Yee.
“We were fortunate when the Filipino veterans came to our aid when we
asked. Today’s bipartisan vote urges Congress and the President to
return that kindness and support by swiftly enacting the Filipino
Veterans Equity Act.”
The House Veterans Affairs Committee is currently considering the
Filipino Veterans Act also known as HR 760. A companion bill, S 57, has
been introduced in the Senate. With a Democratic controlled House of
Representatives and Senate, the bills are considered to have a much
better chance of being approved than in past years.
Senator Yee has long advocated for the Filipino veterans. In 2004, then
Assemblyman Yee led the effort to prevent Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
(R-Los Angeles) from eliminating the California Veterans Cash Benefit
Program from the State budget. While the Governor proposed cutting the
$226 per month benefit, Yee successfully fought to make sure the
Veterans Program was reauthorized in the budget approved by the
Legislature.
The past three years Yee has also authored legislation with former
Assemblyman Jerome Horton (D-Inglewood) to add the role of Filipinos in
WWII to the high school social studies curriculum.
“200,000 Filipinos were drafted and fought alongside U.S. troops in
WWII,” said Yee. “These veterans deserve to be fully recognized and
honored for their service.”
SJR 5 will receive a procedural concurrence vote in Senate next week.
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Larry Scott --
