Officials, Fil-Ams eye House after equity bill wins in US Senate
abs-cbnnews.com | 04/25/2008 2:00 PM
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By RODNEY J. JALECO
WASHINGTON D.C. - More than six decades after it stripped over 140,000 Filipino World War II veterans of recognition and benefits due them, the US Congress took a huge step to right a wrong, fulfilling a promise to old comrades.
The US Senate voted 96-1 to pass S-1315, otherwise known as the Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007, that also contained the Filipino veterans equity bill.
The equity bill aimed to reverse the 1946 Rescission Act that deprived Filipino soldiers who fought under US military command in World War II of veteran status. The soldiers were members of the US Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) and Philippine Scouts, commanded by Gen. Douglas MacArthur. When they were drafted into service, the Philippines was still an American Commonwealth and they were thus, technically American citizens at the time. Of the dozens of foreign nationals who served under the US flag in World War II, only Filipinos were deprived of benefits.
"We want to make sure the community is really able to celebrate this victory," said Ben de Guzman, executive director of Washington-based National Alliance for Filipino Veterans Equity (NAFVE).
"It’s really meaningful, it’s historic. We’ve cleared a very important hurdle and I can’t overstate that. But there’s still a long way to go before we’re able to rectify the injustice that was done to these veterans," De Guzman averred.
The fight for Filipino veterans equity is perhaps the single biggest issue for Filipinos and Filipino-Americans in the US It has united an otherwise fractious community, and spawned a grassroots movement that has demonstrated the growing clout of the Fil-Am community in US politics and policy-making.
Sen. Daniel Inouye is the principal author of the equity bill. It found a resolute supporter in fellow Hawaii lawmaker, Senator Daniel Akaka, chairman of the Senate veterans affairs committee. But it took the bold decision of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to put S-1315 on the floor last Thursday to set the stage for today’s decisive win. All three belong to the Democratic Party.
Battle for Filipino equity
From the outset, the bill’s chief opponent, Republican Sen. Richard Burr made it plain that it was only the Filipino veterans equity bill that was holding up S-1315. About 80 percent of the bill is devoted to expanded benefits to American veterans, especially those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. And Burr was only against giving a $300 special non-service disability pension to about 13,000 Filipino veterans living in the Philippines; veterans currently living in the US were assured of getting the same pension as their American counterparts which range from $900 to $1,400 a month, depending on personal circumstances.
Thus, the debate on veterans benefits became actually a battle over the equity provisions for Filipino veterans in the Philippines.
"I will not let provisions for Filipino veterans go without a fight," declared Senator Akaka on the first day of floor debates.
On Tuesday, the senators voted for cloture by a unanimous 94-0, precluding any possibility of a crippling filibuster that could have killed the bill on the floor. Because of Republican acquiescence to cloture, many believe a compromise was in the works – fueled in part by Senator Larry Craig’s proposal to extend benefits to Filipino veterans here and in the Philippines, but with the lower amount of $100.
Perhaps an indication of Filipino clout, both Democratic presidential contenders – Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama broke off from their respective campaigns to attend Wednesday night’s session, anticipating a vote on S-1315.
Despite her heavy schedule, Sen. Clinton again spent the morning on Capitol Hill today, and left right after casting her vote for S-1315.
The decisive vote was not actually the last one taken, rather on a vote called for Sen. Burr’s amendment that would exclude veterans in the Philippines. Eric Lachica, executive director of the American Coalition of Filipino Veterans (ACFV), said they could only heave a sigh of relief after results of the vote were announced. The vote was preceded by an acrimonious debate that upset some Fil-Ams watching from the Senate gallery.
Democrat block vote
In the end, the Burr amendment was shot down 56-41. The Democrats voted as a block except for Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana. That was more than offset by six Republicans who crossed party lines to vote for Filipino veterans equity. They are Senators Richard Lugar, Allan Specter, Chuck Hagel, Lisa Murkowski, George Voinovich, John Warner and Ted Stevens.
With the Burr amendment out of the way, S-1315, including provisions for Filipino veterans in the Philippines, quickly became a bipartisan issue.
"History is on the side of our veterans," declared Philippine Ambassador Willy Gaa. "More importantly, Filipinos here in America and in the Philippines stood united behind our veterans, and that sent a powerful message to the US senators that whole Filipino nation was squarely standing behind our veterans," the country’s chief envoy declared.
Marites "Bing" Branigin, an editor of the Virginia-based Manila Mail, could barely hold back her tears while speaking with ABS-CBN’s Balitang America.
"When we started in 1998, I saw so many veterans running around there, allowing themselves to be arrested and handcuffed outside the White House. But last night and today, there were only four of them. But they never relented. To our veterans in the Philippines, this victory is for you," Branigin said, tears streaming in an emotional recollection of the long years of sacrifices and struggle by aging veterans, most of whom are now in their 80s and 90s.
"It’s a great day for us, for our veterans and the Filipino people. After 60 years we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel in our fight to win back the rights of our veterans," declared retired Lt. Gen. Delfin Lorenzana, the country’s special envoy for veterans affairs in Washington.
There are about 18,000 Filipino World War II veterans left in the Philippines, the US and other countries. Because of their age, they are dying at an average of 10 a day. Officials estimate that all of them would have passed away by 2015.
Thus, veterans activists see the campaign for veterans equity as a race against time. "We have to persuade Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi and the House of Representatives to schedule a vote under the leadership of Chairman Filner (Congressman Bob Filner of California, who chairs the House veterans affairs committee," said Lachica.
More for Filipinos
HR-760, counterpart of S-1315 in the Lower House, has been put on hold to wait for the Senate to pass its version. HR-760 provides more generous benefits to Filipino veterans but Filner told visiting Filipino congressmen two weeks ago that he was open to the idea of adopting S-1315 if this would speed up passage of the bill.
"We have to this right away, hopefully by May 6 or 7. That would be perfect because that would be the anniversary of the Fall of Corregidor," he explained.
Adopting the Senate version will mean less work when the two versions are combined in conference committee. There are fears that if the House presses for a higher amount, the White House might balk and President Bush might use his veto powers.
The White House budget management office earlier expressed concern over the final tab for the special pensions, which is estimated to cost $221 million a year. President Bush had earlier assured President Arroyo that he would sign the bill if it gets to his desk.
"We are strong when we are together," Branigin stressed. "I believe that President Bush will sign this bill because he promised it and because the Philippines has also supported him, specially in the war on terror."
