RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, out of national concern, on July 26, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the executive order to call the organized forces of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the Philippine Scouts to join the United States Armed Forces and fight with valor and distinction, defending and reclaiming the Philippine Islands from Japanese aggression; and

WHEREAS, by way of a special provision in the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1990, authored by Senator Daniel K. Inouye, waves of Filipino World War II veterans became United States citizens; and

WHEREAS, although immigration records show that twenty-eight thousand Filipino World War II veterans, who had become United States citizens, were granted permanent resident status across America under the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1990, the same act did not confer upon them veterans benefits and services but only life in America as elderly or senior citizens; and

WHEREAS, Filipino-American World War II veterans have been denied justice by the "Powers that were" to receive federal veterans benefits because of the unconstitutional provision in the Rescission Act of 1946 that states, "certain service deemed not active services: service in organized forces of the Commonwealth of the Philippines and the special Philippine Scouts"; and

WHEREAS, said veterans with their spouses have settled unpeacefully, enduring hardship and suffering, some of them having died of chronic illness and others struggling with the consequences of aging while restlessly awaiting favorable action upon measures before the U.S. Congress that would bring about justice for Filipino-American World War II veterans; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-Second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2003, the House of Representatives concurring, that United States President George W. Bush is urged to graciously issue an executive order granting federal veterans benefits and services to the Filipino-American World War II veterans, and their spouses and children, now; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States of America, the Governor of the State of Hawaii, and Hawaii's congressional delegation.

Report Title:

Filipino-American WWII Veterans; Federal Veterans Benefits