Philippines Charitable Giving Assistance Act

Floor Speech

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Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in support of H.R. 3771. This bill allows taxpayers to treat charitable contributions in support of Typhoon Haiyan recovery efforts in the Philippines made between the date of enactment of this bill and April 15, 2014, as if they were made in the 2013 tax year.

More than 4 months ago, on November 8, Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines, killing 6,000 people, destroying more than 1 million homes, displacing 4 million people, and affecting 16 million people.

Following this disaster, there was an outpouring of support for the people of the Philippines and from people around our country, including a number of folks in my district, particularly members of the Filipino American community, like Norma Placido, president of the Filipino Community of Solano County, and members of the Filipino American Chamber of Solano County. Many of my constituents have family members in the Philippines that were affected by this typhoon, and they are trying to do everything possible to help them rebuild.

The United Nations-developed Strategic Response Plan, to coordinate and prioritize assistance, estimates that $788 million will be needed for humanitarian aid through November 2014. Sadly, only $369 million has been contributed to date. This bipartisan legislation, which I am proud to be part of with my colleague, Mr. Swalwell, from California, Representative Heck from Nevada, and Representative Issa from California will allow people to deduct qualifying charitable contributions made after the date of enactment of this bill and before the 15th of April on their 2013 tax returns. This will help incentivize charitable giving to the Philippine rebuilding efforts while the need is so great. Identical legislation has already been introduced and was passed unanimously by the Senate earlier this year.

Our country's relationship with the Philippines runs very deep. In World War II, 57,000 military Philippine servicemembers and 900,000 Philippine civilians gave their lives in support of our Allied Forces. And the Manila American Cemetery holds 17,202 brave American and Filipino troops killed during World War II.

The Philippines sent 7,500 combat troops to the Korean war and 2,000 troops to the Vietnam war. They sent 200 medical personnel to assist in the gulf war, and 60 medics, engineers, and other troops to assist in the Iraq war. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, they offered to send our country a 25-team member of aid workers, and the Philippines Red Cross donated money. And they are one of our closest allies in the war on terror.

When tragedy strikes around the world, Americans don't sit on the sidelines; we help. Our allies in the Philippines are still working on their long-term rebuilding effort, and this bipartisan legislation will make sure that our committees are able to provide the help our friends need for this important phase of rebuilding.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this important piece of legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly) for his help and persistence on this.

As we have already discussed, Typhoon Haiyan has been absolutely devastating. It hurt a tremendous number of people and has hurt communities. We really need to do everything we can to make sure that Americans can do what we do so well, and that is help our allies and our friends. This bill does that.

This bill, as the gentleman from Pennsylvania pointed out, is common sense. It has been done before. There is precedent. And this is a nation of our allies and our friends who are waiting for our help. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote in favor of this bill.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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