Filvets' benefits survive in US stimulus bill

CHICAGO, Illinois – The Filipino Veterans' benefits were kept intact Thursday (Feb. 5) in the more than $800-billion stimulus package as it withstood the challenge from Republican Senators John McCain (Arizona) and Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) in the Senate. The Senate Bill 1627 also known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 goes for reconciliation with the House version, H.R. 1, that does not carry the benefits. The debate will start this week, according to US congressional records. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (Dem-HI) said he is prepared to reintroduce his Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act, which includes the provisions for the benefits of Filipino Veterans of World War II if they falter in the US House of Representatives. Jesse Broder Van Dyke, Akaka’s spokesman, said in an email that the senator is monitoring the effort of his fellow Hawaiian Democrat Sen. Daniel K. Inouye to include provision for a one-time lump sum payment in the stimulus bill. But if the testy deliberation of the veterans bill Thursday in the Senate was to be the gauge, Mr. Akaka’s back-up plan appeared to be unnecessary. Rising in support of the inclusion of the benefits in the stimulus package, Senator Inouye defended the participation of Filipino war veterans during the second World War. The senator explained that shortly after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and the Philippines, the 14th Japanese Army surrounded the Bataan Peninsula with 80,000 US Allied troops. Although, only 18,000 of these troops were Americans, the rest were Filipinos. “So in March 1942, the Congress of the United States --the Senate and the House--passed a measure thanking the Filipinos for their gallantry, for their heroism, and said: If you wish, you may become a citizen of the United States and get all the benefits of a US veteran," he said. But when the “war ended, and in February of 1946, this Congress passed a bill rescinding, repealing that act of 1942. Believe it or not, it declared that the service the Filipinos had rendered was not Active Duty. I don't know what it meant by that. It was not Active service," Inouye stressed. The senator reminded US lawmakers that out of the 470,000 who volunteered during the war, only 18,000 are still alive, whose average age is 90. "At this moment, while I am speaking, hundreds lie in hospitals on their deathbeds. And I am certain, while I am speaking, some are dying. Two weeks from now, we will have 17,000 surviving," he added. Bill doesn't generate jobs but... While Inouye agrees with Senator McCain that the Filipino veterans' bill is not a stimulus proposal, he stressed that "the honor of the United States is what is involved." “It is about time we close this dark chapter. I love America. I love serving America. I am proud of this country, but this is a black chapter. It has to be cleansed, and I hope my colleagues will join me in finally recognizing that these men served us well," the senator said. “Incidentally, this bill doesn't contain a penny for the Filipinos. It recognizes them. And we will provide the money later," Inouye concluded. In the ensuing exchanges, Senator McCain got his fellow Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina to agree that Mr. McCain has a “strong support for the compensation that our great Filipino allies in World War II rendered to this Nation and to the country." In his parting shot, Senator McCain asked Senator Graham again, “So, could I finally ask the Senator, is there any question of anybody's patriotism or love of country or the outstanding and magnificent service rendered in World War II by our brave Filipino allies? Mr. Graham answered, “no." At the end of Thursday, the Filipino Veterans benefits had survived the pruning knives of the senators in the stimulus bill that has become S. Bill 1627. The benefits provide a tax-free, one-time $9,000 non-service connected compensation for veterans, who are not U.S. citizens, and $15,000 for veterans, who are U.S. citizens. The benefits bill also provides that it does not “prohibit a person from receiving any benefit (including health care, survivor, or burial benefits) which the person would have been eligible to receive based on laws in effect as of the day before the date of the enactment of this Act." -GMANews.TV