Hope fades for RP vets bill this year

December 29, 2007  --  Got something to say?
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RP VetsWASHINGTON D.C. Filipino veterans have launched a last-ditch effort to prod the US Senate and House to act on the Filipino Veterans Equity Bill (S 1315) and the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Bill (S. 671 )and Filipino Veterans Equity Bill, in the spirit of Christmas.

With only a few days left before Congress adjourns for the Christmas holidays, it is increasingly becoming doubtful that the approval of these bills would be made. The Democratic-controlled Senate do not have the 60 votes necessary to block any floor debate on these bills.

Chief opponent of the bill in the Senate are Republicans led by Sen. Larry Craig (Idaho) who said the proposed pension for World War II veterans in the Philippines and the US is too much.

Practically giving up hope that these bills will be considered, Filipino American veterans said in a letter to Sen. Daniel K. Akaka, (D-Hawaii), chairman of the veterans affair committee, that they understand the difficulty of passing the equity bill. Instead, they asked Akaka to remedy the situation by passing the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Bill as a Christmas package for us this season.

They said: Early this year, when the Democratic Party took control of both Chamber of Congress your legislative actions gave us high expectations on the passage of these bills this year. But the end of the year is ending and we are seeing the green on the legislative traffic light turning yellow once again.

The letter was signed by Franco Arcebal, Forum Coordinator and Facilitator ACFV Vice-President for Membership; Faustino Baclig, Justice for Filipino Veterans; Eugene Mondok, Sr., United Filipino American WWII Veterans, Inc.; Gregorio Villanueva, Veterans Federation of the Philippines, USA Region and Jack Vergara, Society of Guerrillas & Scouts, Inc.

Last month, when the bill was submitted by Akaka for a unanimous consent request, Sen. Larry Craig, objected to the request.
Craig said, I believe that if we can return to the negotiating table, we can find an acceptable solution to both my concerns and the concerns of my colleagues…. I vigorously oppose. In fact, this provision is the sole reason for my unwillingness to support the bill, and I would like to explain it here today…”

He said that while he continued to support improving benefits for Filipino veterans who fought under U.S. command during World War II, he believed the pension provision would not be supported by the American people.

Besides, he said The special pension for Filipino veterans in S. 1315 would amount to an astounding 86 percent to 161 percent of
the Philippines household income.”

He continued: This legislation did not take into account the vast discrepancy between the standard of living in the United States and the Philippines. By refusing to look at the purchasing power of the benefits being provided here, this legislation would pay veterans in the Philippines far more in benefits and pension than we pay our own veterans. It is especially ironic that a bill intending to treat Filipino veterans equitably would create such a dramatic inequity for our U.S. veterans.”

Last week, veterans marked the 66th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and US bases in the Philippines on Dec. 7, 1941. In the West Coast, a documentary of the war was shown and a prayer rally was held Dec. 8 to Support the Equity Bill in front of the home of Speaker Nancy Pelosis in Pacific Heights in San Francisco.

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Posted by News Team | Filed Under US News 

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