CONGRESS FAILS TO PASS VETS’ EQUITY BILL

January 14, 2008  --  Got something to say?
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By Rodney J. Jaleco
WASHINGTON D.C. Congress adjourned for the holidays Dec. 19 without passing the Filipino veterans equity bill or the family reunification bill which have already been approved by the veterans committees of both houses.

But Filipino veterans remained optimistic these bills would be taken up and possibly approved when Congress resumes its session next month.

Last-minute effort by Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii), chair of the veterans affairs committee, to debate the equity bill on the Senate floor was shot down by Republicans led by Sen. Larry Craig (Idaho) who argued that giving pension to World War II veterans in the Philippines would be like Robin Hood in reverse, referring to the fabled thief of Sheerwood Forest.

At least Robin Hood, when he took money, left it in Nottingham. He spread it out amongst his own. Here we are taking money from our own and sending it all the way to the Philippines, the Idaho lawmaker said.

Although Congress did not take any final action on the equity and reunification bills, both are expected to be taken up again when it resumes session in January next year.

Eric Lachica, executive director of the American Coalition of Filipino Veterans (ACFV), remained optimistic saying the equity bill is still alive and has a more than even chance to become law. It will be carried over to January or February, to be continued next year. Kasi two-year ang session ng Congress which ends in December 2008. So may pag-asa ang equity bill natin kasi pumasa na sa komite, he explained.

Craig stood up on the floor to register his opposition to S-1315, an omnibus veterans benefits bill where the Filipino veterans equity was tacked in. The equity bill was intended to redress a half century-old injustice foisted on Filipino veterans who served under the US flag at the outbreak of World War II a time when the Philippines was still an American colony.

In 1946, the US Congress passed the Rescission Law which deprived Filipino veterans benefits given to their American comrades, as well as those from dozens of other countries who also fought with the US military. Curiously, only benefits for Filipino veterans were cut off. This is a social justice issue, an issue against racial discrimination, Jon Melegrito of the National Alliance for Filipino Veterans Equity (NAFVE).

Craig argued that the average US veteran get benefits that are limited by law to $10,929 a year, equivalent to about 24% of the average US household income. S-1315 provides from $375 to $200 (depending on the circumstances of the surviving veteran) in monthly pensions.

The benefit which is in this bill gives to a veteran a non-US citizen living in the Philippines 100% of the average household income in the Philippines, Craig said.
The question is, is it fair? Is it equitable? he asked pointedly.

Sen. Akaka. one of the bills chief supporters, countered Craigs assertion. The proposed Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007 is a comprehensive bill that includes benefits for a broad constituency of service members and veterans, particularly those who are service-disabled. Provisions of this bill would also improve benefits for World War II Filipino veterans, virtually all of whom are now in their 80s and 90s.

While not providing Filipino veterans living outside the US with benefits identical to those provided to veterans living in the US, I am satisfied that the provisions of S-1315 are equitable and should be adopted, Akaka declared.

Pension benefits are designed to allow wartime veterans and their survivors to live in dignity above the poverty level?this bill would allow these veterans to live with such dignity, while finally giving them the recognition that they so richly deserve, the Hawaii lawmaker said.
Lachica later led New Jersey-based veterans Alfredo Diaz and Nick Casino into Craigs office at Hart Building on Capitol Hill.

Craig was an Idaho rancher before winning a seat in the House of Representatives. He is a four-term senator and was chairman of the Senate veterans affairs committee until Democrats wrestled control of the Senate and took over the working committees earlier this year.
Craig pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct after being accused by an undercover policeman of soliciting sex at a toilet in the Minneapolis airport last June. He resigned after the incident became public but has since withdrawn his resignation, vowing to clear his name.

Diaz served with a field artillery unit of the 91st Infantry Division in Bataan. Now 91 years old, he still yearns for recognition that was taken away from him and other Filipino veterans 61 years ago.

We walk around and around and around, he says, pointing to the circuitous hallways of Capitol Hill structures.

Last night, what happened to my companion? he says pointing to his comrade Nick Casino, himself in his early 90s. He had cramps in his legs because of that. Hopefully, the congressmen and senators we talked to would help us, Diaz said.

Lachica got no farther than Brooke Roberts, Craigs legislative director, but only after the group told the receptionist that they were ready to wait. Lachica made his pitch for the equity bill and the Family Reunification Bill, another Filipino veterans benefit measure that Craig had voted for this year. She promised to tell the solon that they tried to see him that day, and nothing more. Shes a very crucial person to get support, she negotiates all the key legislation for the senator, Lachica explained to ABS-CBN News.

Before leaving Craigs office, Lachica picked up a newspaper copy of The Hill whose banner declared, Dems and GOPs deadlocked as adjournment nears.

The problem here is that both the Democrats and Republicans are in partisan gridlock so nothings happening. Congress cant even pass the budget for the US government, he said.
As a parallel effort, Lachica is asking senators to push S-671 as amended which will allow about 6,000 Filipino veterans in the US to over family members theyve left behind in the Philippines. This was the main concern of Casino who said he had six married children back home that he wanted to bring to the US before he passes away.

Ang gusto natin ang principal sponsor natin, Sen. Akaka and hopefully Sen. Craig, Sen. Warner of Virginia and Sen. Specter of Pennsylvania who are all key Republicans, will support Sen. Akaka to pass the Family Reunification Bill, hopefully before Christmas, Lachica said.

The Akaka amendment incorporating the family reunification component for Filipino World War II veterans was approved 87-9 in a May 2007 Senate vote. But Congress has still to work on the bill itself.

Hence, Lachicas timetable appears overly optimistic, gauging the mood of Congress. Melegrito and other veterans activists believe that the equity bill has become hostage to the worsening partisan politics in Congress. The bill drew overwhelming support from Democrats, and some of the veterans advocates say, Republicans are fighting it out of spite.

This, even after President Bush signaled his support for the equity bill during a meeting with President Arroyo earlier this year.

Americans have treated Filipino veterans fairly, Craig stressed. We have been more than generous since the war ended to our comrades?we have done wonderfully by them.

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