HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	154
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

urging the united states congress to amend the definition of "amerasians" in the amerasian immigration act of 1982.

     WHEREAS, since World War II millions of American military service personnel and United States government employees have been stationed throughout countries in Asia, including the Philippines; and

     WHEREAS, during the time, many American servicemen and government employees fathered children with local residents of these countries; and

     WHEREAS, many of these children were left behind in these countries when the American parent returned home; and

     WHEREAS, the Amerasian Immigration Act of 1982 (Pub L. 97-359), provides for preferential treatment in the admission of children of United States citizens where the child "was born in Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Kampuchea [Cambodia], or Thailand after 1950 and before [October 22, 1982], and was fathered by a United States citizen"; and

     WHEREAS, thousands of children in the Philippines were fathered by United States citizens between 1950 and October 22, 1982, but are not included in the Act; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, that the United States Congress is urged to amend the Amerasian Immigration Act of 1982, as amended, to include the Philippines in the list of Asian countries where children fathered by United States citizens between 1950 and October 22, 1982, may eligible for preferential admissions treatment; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and to the members of Hawaii's delegation to the Congress of the United States.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Amerasians; Citizenship