STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1492

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 298

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 298, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE UNITED STATES PRESIDENT, SENATE, AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO ENACT LEGISLATION TO EXPEDITE IMMIGRANT VISAS FOR FAMILY REUNIFICATION OF CERTAIN FILIPINO VETERANS OF WORLD WAR II,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to urge the United States President and Congress to enact legislation to expedite immigrant visas to reunite World War II Filipino veterans with their children.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by one private organization.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that the World War II Filipino veterans who are currently residing in this State are aging and in need of the care and protection that can be afforded to them from their family members residing outside the United States.  Your Committee also finds that the sacrifices made by the Filipino soldiers during World War II to protect and fight with the United States were heroic and that the passage of this measure will, to a certain extent, serve as a tribute and memorialize their efforts.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity.

     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. 298, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 298, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair