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Floor Speech

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Mr. NEWHOUSE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project's 6th anniversary and all their work to raise awareness and support for Filipino-American World War II soldiers.

FilVetREP is a volunteer initiative with the mission to obtain national recognition for all Filipino-American World War II soldiers for their service in the Philippines from July 1941 to December 1946. The initiative worked to successfully secure legislation that would award the Congressional Gold Medal to soldiers and survivors, which I proudly cosponsored and voted for during my first term in Congress.

After nearly 75 years, Filipino-American soldiers who served finally received their much-deserved recognition with the passage of the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015.

FilVetREP has since conducted over 80 ceremonies across the United States and in the Philippines to award veterans and their families the Congressional Gold Medal.

From a grateful Nation, I thank all of the Filipino-American soldiers for their service, and thank FilVetREP for their work to support and recognize our veterans. I extend my congratulations on the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project's 6th anniversary and wish them many more decades of servant leadership.

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