STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1045

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 38

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 38 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING ENACTMENT OF H.R. 901/S. 4070, "FILIPINO FAMILY REUNIFICATION", OR SIMILAR LEGISLATION THAT GRANTS THE PRIORITY ISSUANCE OF VISAS TO VETERANS' CHILDREN WITH APPROVED IMMIGRATION PETITIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to grant the priority issuance of visas to Filipino veterans' children with approved immigration petitions.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the United Filipino Council of Hawaii, Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness Research and Training – Hawaii, Philippine Nurses Association - Hawaii, Nursing Advocates and Mentors, Inc., Oahu Filipino Community Council, Congress of Visayan Organizations, Filipino Coalition for Solidarity, and the National Federation of Filipino American Associations, Region 12.  Oral testimony was given by World War II Filipino-American Veterans Association - Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that members of the Philippine Commonwealth Armed Forces and the Special Philippine Scouts were drafted into the United States Armed Forces by the Military Order of July 26, 1941, and from 1941-1946, tens of thousands of Filipino soldiers risked their lives assisting the United States Armed Forces in its campaign to liberate the Philippines.

     Your Committee further finds that the Immigration Act of 1990 awarded citizenship to each veteran, but unfairly excluded the veterans' dependants by requiring each veteran to submit an immigrant petition with supporting affidavits requesting that the veterans' dependents be permitted to live with the veteran.  To this end, it is the intent of your Committee to support the granting of priority issuance of visas to veterans' children with approved immigration petitions in order for the veterans to be reunited with their family members.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 38 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair