STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1043

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 39

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. 39 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING ENACTMENT OF H.R. 4574/S. 57, "FILIPINO AMERICAN VETERANS EQUITY ACT OF 2007" OR SIMILAR LEGISLATION THAT PROVIDES FEDERAL VETERANS BENEFITS AND SERVICES TO THE WORLD WAR II FILIPINO AMERICAN VETERANS AND THE FILIPINO VETERANS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to provide Federal veterans' benefits and services to World War II Filipino veterans.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Philippine Nurses Association – Hawaii, Filipino Coalition for Solidarity, Congress of Visayan Organizations, Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness Research and Training – Hawaii, National Federation of Filipino American Associations, Oahu Filipino Community Council, Nursing Advocates and Mentors, Inc., and United Filipino Council of 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.  To this end, it is the intent of your Committee to support the provision of Federal veterans' benefits and services to Filipino wartime veterans for their valiant service during World War II.

     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. 39 and recommends its adoption.

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

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair