Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 258 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to urge the United States Congress to enact into law S. 68 to extend full and equitable benefits to Filipino veterans of World War II.

Your Committee finds that many Filipino veterans of World War II fought side-by-side and heroically with our American veterans in some of the bloodiest and fiercest battles of World War II. However, following this valiant service many of these veterans were denied full and equitable benefits, particularly medical benefits, granted to their American counterparts. S. 68, presently pending in the United States Senate would correct this inequity by improving compensation benefits, disability pensions, and available hospital and nursing home care benefits to these World War II Filipino veterans and their surviving spouses.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this concurrent resolution from the Office of Veterans' Services and the World War II Filipino-American Veterans, Hawaii Chapter.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 258 and recommends its adoption.