Durbin: Senate Begins Debate on Filipino Veterans Bill

Press Release

Durbin: Senate Begins Debate on Filipino Veterans Bill

Filipino veterans who served alongside America's GI's in World War II would receive an equitable pension under the terms of legislation that the Senate began to debate this afternoon. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) is a supporter of the Veterans Benefit Enhancement Act of 2007 (S 1315) and voted to proceed to the bill earlier today.

"In a letter sent to me earlier this year, Mr. Teleforo Yague, former Commander of American Legion Post 509 in Chicago, expressed to me the importance of this issue to the World War II Filipino-American veterans," Durbin said in a statement to his colleagues on the Senate floor. "This provision honors the remaining men and women who served America with loyalty during World War II."

Durbin commended U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI) for his efforts on the legislation and also discussed his frustration with the delays that previously postponed consideration of the bill. More than five months ago, Durbin asked the Senate for unanimous consent with respect to the legislation. There was an objection, and the bill was tabled until today.

During WWII, President Roosevelt issued a military order and called to service the Commonwealth Army of the Philippines, which was American territory at the time. This entitled the Filipinos who served alongside U.S. troops to full veterans' benefits. According to the Embassy of the Philippines, following the war there were some 470,000 soldiers who were to receive benefits. Today, only 18,000 remain, with most in their mid-80s.

Currently, Filipino veterans do not get annual pension benefits. The disability and burial allowance for Filipino veterans is only half of their counterparts living in America and all Filipino veterans living in the Philippines do not have access to the Manila VA clinic. The Veterans Benefit Enhancement Act would address all of those issues.

The Veterans Benefit Enhancement Act would also:

* expand eligibility for traumatic injury insurance under the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance program;
* extend housing benefits to individuals with severe burns;
* increase benefits for veterans in apprenticeship or on-job training programs; and
* restore veteran status to Filipino veterans who served under U.S. command during World War II.

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