[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 113 (Monday, July 29, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H8627-H8629]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING AND HONORING THE FILIPINO WORLD WAR II VETERANS
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 191) to recognize and honor the
Filipino World War II veterans for their defense of democratic ideals
and their important contribution to the outcome of World War II.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 191
Whereas the Commonwealth of the Philippines was
strategically located and thus vital to the defense of the
United States during World War II;
Whereas the military forces of the Commonwealth of the
Philippines were called into the United States Armed Forces
during World War II by Executive order and were put under the
command of General Douglas MacArthur;
Whereas the participation of the military forces of the
Commonwealth of the Philippines in the battles of Bataan and
Corregidor and in other smaller skirmishes delayed and
disrupted the initial Japanese effort to conquer the Western
Pacific;
Whereas that delay and disruption allowed the United States
the vital time to prepare the forces which were needed to
drive the Japanese from the Western Pacific and to defeat
Japan;
Whereas after the recovery of the Philippine Islands from
Japan, the United States was able to use the strategically
located Commonwealth of the Philippines as a base from which
to launch the final efforts to defeat Japan;
Whereas every American deserves to know the important
contribution that the military forces of the Commonwealth of
the Philippines made to the outcome of World War II; and
Whereas the Filipino World War II veterans deserve
recognition and honor for their important contribution to the
outcome of World War II: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representative (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress recognizes and honors the
Filipino World War II veterans for their defense of
democratic ideals and their important contribution to the
outcome of World War II.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter] and the gentleman from New York [Mr. Engel]
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter].
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, this resolution provides long-delayed
recognition to persons considered to be members of the Philippine
Commonwealth Army veterans and members of the Special Philippine
Scouts--by reason of service with the allied Armed Forces during World
War II.
On July 26, 1941, President Roosevelt issued a military order,
pursuant to the Philippines Independence Act of 1934, calling members
of the Philippine Commonwealth Army into the service of the United
States forces of the Far East, under the command of Lt. Gen. Douglas
MacArthur.
For almost 4 years, over 100,000 Filipinos, of the Philippine
Commonwealth Army fought alongside the allies to reclaim the Philippine
Islands from Japan. Unfortunately, Congress rewarded this service by
enacting the Rescission Act of 1946. This measure denied the members of
the Philippine Commonwealth Army the honor of being recognized as
veterans of the United States Armed Forces.
A second group, the Special Philippine Scouts called ``New scouts''
who enlisted in the United States Armed Forces after October 6, 1945,
primarily to perform occupation duty in the Pacific, have also never
received official recognition.
It is time to correct this injustice and to provide the official
recognition
[[Page H8628]]
long overdue for members of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the
Special Philippine Scouts that they valiantly earned for their service
to the United States and the allied cause during World War II.
This Member strongly urges his colleagues to vote for this resolution
to correct this grave injustice and provides recognition to members of
the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the members of the Special
Philippine Scouts.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this. The Philippines and the United
States have a long history of friendship and cooperation. Just recently
President Clinton praised the contribution of Filipino veterans, and he
did it so recently. He did so during his trip in 1994, when he visited
the Philippines.
The role of the Filipino veterans is very, very important in the
victory over Japan in World War II. It is very appropriate, I believe,
for Congress to recognize and honor the service provided by these
veterans.
As the resolution notes, Filipino veterans were important players in
the effort to defeat Japan in World War II. The Philippine Islands
played a critical role as a strategic base for launching the final
effort to defeat Japan.
This resolution seeks to convey the appreciation of the Congress for
these contributions. I believe it is very fitting that we do so.
Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California [Mr.
Filner].
Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Nebraska for
moving this legislation very quickly through the subcommittee, and I
wish the chairman, Mr. Gilman, was here. He has worked long and hard to
make sure that this resolution gets to the floor. Our colleagues over
in the Senate, Senators Inouye and Akaka, will move this legislation
very rapidly through their body, and I thank them profusely for that.
Mr. Speaker, today is an historic day in this Chamber. We are taking
the first step in the long overdue recognition of a group of brave
soldiers who played a significant role in the outcome of World War II;
that is, the Filipino veterans.
Too few Americans are familiar with this chapter in our Nation's
history. During World War II, the military forces of the Commonwealth
of the Philippines were drafted to serve in our armed forces by an
Executive order of the President of the United States. Under the
command of General Douglas MacArthur, they fought side-by-side with
forces from the United States mainland against our common enemy.
Filipino soldiers defended the American flag in the now famous battles
of Bataan and Corridor. Thousands of Filipino prisoners of war died
during the 65-mile Bataan death march. Those who survived were
imprisoned under inhumane conditions, where they suffered casualties at
the rate of up to 200 prisoners each day. They endured 4 long years of
enemy occupation. Those soldiers fortunate to escape capture, together
with Filipino civilians, fought against the occupation forces. Their
guerrilla attacks foiled the plans of the Japanese for a quick takeover
of the region and allowed the United States the time needed to prepare
forces to defeat Japan. After the liberation of the Philippine Islands,
the United States was able to use the strategically located
Commonwealth of the Philippines as a base from which to launch the
final efforts to win the war.
With their vital participation so evident, one would assume the
United States would be grateful to their Filipino comrades. So it is
hard to believe that soon after the war ended, the 79th Congress voted
in a way that only can be considered to be blatant discrimination,
taking away the recognition and benefits that the Filipino World War II
veterans were promised, the recognition and benefits so richly
deserved.
The Washington Post wrote in 1947 that ``While the Philippine Islands
were still under United States sovereignty, the President issued an
order making the Filipino Army a part of the American Army. This made
the Filipino soldiers who constituted that army a part of our fighting
forces as much as were soldiers drafted from the States, and they
remained in this status until the eve of the Philippine independence.
Last year, however, Congress passed the First Rescission Act denying to
Filipino veterans most of the benefits that go automatically to other
veterans who were exposed to similar risks and hardships. ``We cannot
help thinking,'' wrote the Post, ``that if Congress reviews the
situation with full realization these men were members of our own army
and subject to its orders, it will see that a great injustice has been
done.''
That was 50 years ago, Mr. Speaker.
Even President Truman, who signed the Rescission Act, said it did not
release the United States from its obligation to provide for the heroic
Filipino veterans who scarified so much during the war. He believed it
was a moral obligation of the United States to look after the welfare
of Filipino veterans. So do I, and so do my colleagues who join me in
cosponsoring this resolution today.
It has taken Congress 50 years to act, but finally we are going to
correct this situation. The Senate earlier this month passed Senate
Concurrent Resolution 64 and honored the Filipino World War II
veterans. Today, the House of Representatives will join the Senate in
this important statement.
I want to thank all the Filipino veterans and all their sons and
daughters who have called and written to educate Members of this
Congress. This momentous vote would not have occurred without their
efforts and persistence.
Today, Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be a Member of this body. We are
acting in a manner to correct the wrongs inflicted on these brave
veterans. This is a first step. In the next Congress I will reintroduce
the Filipino Veterans Equity Act, which follows the recognition we
bestow today with benefits the Filipino veterans were promised.
Mr. Speaker, many of my constituents are veterans affected by this
resolution. Not a day goes by when they do not pray for a restoration
of their honor and dignity. I urge my colleagues to correct a
monumental injustice by recognizing and honoring the brave Filipino
World War II veterans for their defense of democratic ideas and their
important service and contribution to our victory in World War II.
Again I thank the gentleman from New York [Mr. Engel], the gentleman
from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter], the gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman],
the chairman, and the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Hamilton], the
ranking member, for allowing us to vote on this today.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Guam
[Mr. Underwood].
Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to commend the Members
of the other body for processing this resolution, particularly Senators
Inouye and Akaka, and also congratulate and thank the gentleman from
New York, Mr. Gilman, and the gentleman from Nebraska, Mr. Bereuter,
for moving this legislation to the floor in a timely manner.
I represent Guam, which is the closest American jurisdiction to the
Philippines, and we on Guam are fully aware of the situation confronted
by the Filipino veterans, having endured the Japanese occupation
ourselves.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution
191, a concurrent resolution to recognize and honor the Filipino World
War II veterans. Although mainly symbolic and long overdue, this
resolution is a step toward this body's full recognition of the loyalty
and sacrifices of the over 30,000 Filipino soldiers who fought and died
alongside our soldiers in World War II.
Gen. Douglas MacArthur, referring to the defenders of Bataan and
Corregidor, claimed that ``no army has ever done so much with so
little.'' Many of us take this as words of commendation meant for
American forces defending the Philippines. However, we must not
overlook the fact that a substantial portion of this defense force was
composed of Filipino volunteers.
Although they fought and died alongside American comrades, these
veterans were never afforded equal status. Prior to mass discharges and
disbanding of their unit in 1949, these veterans were paid only a third
of what regular
[[Page H8629]]
service members received at the time. Underpaid, having been denied
benefits and lacking proper recognition, General MacArthur's words
truly depict the plight of the remaining Filipino veterans today as
they did half a century ago.
I urge my colleagues to support House Concurrent Resolution 191 and
consider this resolution as a commitment toward future legislation to
fully recognizing the contributions and recognize status of Filipino
World War II veterans.
To the many fine residents of Guam are members of the Philipine
Scouts: I salute you. Your service should not be forgotten and will not
be forgotten.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I want to not only recognize the leadership of the
gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman] and thank the gentleman from New
York [Mr. Engel], but to recognize that a lead cosponsor was the
gentleman from California [Mr. Filner], whose remarks you heard, and
thank the gentleman from Guam [Mr. Underwood] for his very salient
remarks.
Additionally, I wanted to mention that the chairman and ranking
minority member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the gentleman
from Arizona [Mr. Stump], and the gentleman from Mississippi [Mr.
Montgomery], original cosponsors, along with the gentleman from New
York [Mr. Solomon], the gentleman from California [Mr. Dornan], the
gentleman from California [Mr. Campbell], the gentleman from California
[Mr. Bilbray], the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Flanagan], the
gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Talent], the gentlewoman from California
[Ms. Pelosi], the gentleman from Hawaii [Mr. Abercrombie], the
gentlewoman from Hawaii [Mrs. Mink], the gentleman from Illinois [Mr.
Evans], the gentleman from California [Mr. Miller], and the gentleman
from Illinois [Mr. Gutierrez].
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution
to provide long-delayed recognition to persons considered to be members
of the Philippine Commonwealth Army veterans and members of the Special
Philippine Scouts--by reason of service with the Allied Armed Forces
during World War II.
We must correct the grave injustice that has befallen this brave
group of veterans, since their valiant service, on behalf of the United
States, during the Second World War.
On July 26, 1941, President Roosevelt issued a military order,
pursuant to the Philippines Independence Act of 1934, calling members
of the Philippine Commonwealth Army into the service of the United
States Forces of the Far East, under the command of Lt. Gen. Douglas
MacArthur.
For almost 4 years, over 100,000 Filipinos, of the Philippine
Commonwealth Army fought alongside the Allies to reclaim the Philippine
Islands from Japan. Regrettably, in return, Congress enacted the
Rescission Act of 1946. This measure denied the members of the
Philippine Commonwealth Army the honor of being recognized as veterans
of the United States Armed Forces.
A second group, the Special Philippine Scouts called New Scouts who
enlisted in the U.S. Armed Forces after October 6, 1945, primarily to
perform occupation duty in the Pacific, have also never received
official recognition.
I believe it is time to correct this injustice and to provide the
official recognition long overdue for members of the Philippine
Commonwealth Army and the Special Philippine Scouts that they valiantly
earned for their service to the United States and the Allied cause
during World War II.
These members of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the Special
Philippine Scouts served just as courageously and made the same
sacrifices as their American counterparts during the Pacific war. Their
contribution helped disrupt the initial Japanese offensive timetable in
1942, at a point when the Japanese were expanding almost unchecked
throughout the Western Pacific.
This delay in the Japanese plans bought valuable time for scattered
Allied Forces to regroup, reorganize, and prepare for checking the
Japanese in the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway.
It also earned those who were unfortunate enough to be captured the
wrath of their Japanese captors. As a result, these Filipino prisoners
joined their American counterparts in the Bataan Death March, along
with suffering inhumane treatment which redefined the limits of human
depravity.
During the next 2 years, Filipino Scout units, operating from rural
bases, tied down precious Japanese resources and manpower through
guerilla warfare tactics.
In 1944, Filipino forces provided valuable assistance in the
liberation of the Philippine Islands which in turn became an important
base for taking the war to the Japanese homeland. Without the
assistance of Filipino units and guerrilla forces, the liberation of
the Philippine Islands would have taken much longer and been far
costlier than it actually was.
In a letter to Congress dated May 16, 1946, President Harry S. Truman
wrote:
The Philippine Army veterans are nationals of the United
States and will continue in that status after July 4, 1946.
They fought under the American flag and under the direction
of our military leaders. They fought with gallantry and
courage under the most difficult conditions during the recent
conflict. They were commissioned by us, their official
organization, the Army of its Philippine Commonwealth was
taken into the Armed Forces of the United States on July 26,
1941. That order has never been revoked and amended. I
consider it a moral obligation of the United States to look
after the welfare of the Filipino veterans.
Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution that
corrects this grave injustice and provides recognition to members of
the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the members of the Special
Philippine Scouts, which they fully deserve.
Mr. SCOTT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to add my support to the recognition
of the Philippine Commonwealth Army veterans who stood beside the
United States servicemembers during the Second World War. The efforts
of these members of the Philippine Army were essential in operations
that helped free the nation of the Philippines from Japanese aggression
and resulted in the defeat of Japan's expansion efforts. Nearly 100,000
Filipino soldiers endured more than 4 years of battle that left over 1
million Philippine civilians, soldiers, and guerrilla fighters dead.
In 1946, Congress passed a Rescission Act that declared that the
service provided by these brave people did not qualify them for
veteran's benefits. These veterans were called to duty under the
command of Gen. Douglas MacArthur and they were U.S. soldiers. The
Philippine Scouts, who served after October 6, 1945, were also United
States soldiers. House Concurrent Resolution 191 restores the
recognition these brave soldiers deserve.
This recognition is long overdue. We long ago promised these veterans
the benefits they earned and we turned our backs on them. After
ignoring the injustice of this country's bias so long, I am pleased
that we can now provide a first step toward correcting this
longstanding oversight. These veterans deserve the same rights and
benefits as members of the U.S. services. It is only right that we
fulfill our promises and recognize these deserving servicemembers.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter] that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the concurrent resolution, House Concurrent Resolution
191.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was
agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________