HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	148
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

urging the president of the united states and Congress to support and pass the filipino veterans family reunification act of 2013.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, Filipino soldiers fought bravely beside American troops to restore liberty and democracy to their homeland by volunteering as spies, serving as guerrillas in the jungles, and fighting in American units during World War II; and

 

     WHEREAS, Filipino soldiers exhibited great courage at the battles of Corregidor and Bataan, and their bravery and self-sacrifice contributed to the Allied victory that ended World War II; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 1941, by executive order, Filipinos who volunteered for the Philippine Commonwealth Army and Philippine Scouts were made eligible for full United States veterans' benefits for their active service during the War; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 1946, by congressional act and upon the independence of the Philippines, these same Filipino veterans were denied eligibility for United States veterans' benefits; and

 

     WHEREAS, almost 50 years later, the 1990 Immigration Act gave Filipino World War II veterans the option to pursue United States citizenship; and

 

     WHEREAS, since this change in immigration law, thousands of Filipino veterans immigrated to the United States; and

 

     WHEREAS, many of these Filipino veterans have been separated from their children and families in the Philippines who are awaiting the day when their visas are granted and their families can be reunited in the United States; and
     WHEREAS, there is a limit on how many Filipinos can immigrate to the United States each year, and there is currently a visa application backlog of more than ten years; and

 

     WHEREAS, many of the Filipino veterans currently in the United States are very elderly and in poor health, have no family to care for them, and face the very real possibility of passing away without ever seeing their children again; and

 

     WHEREAS, according to United States Representative Colleen Hanabusa, only 6,000 of the original 250,000 veterans are still alive; and

 

     WHEREAS, both United States Senator Mazie Hirono and Representative Colleen Hanabusa have introduced legislation cited as the "Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act of 2013" for consideration in their respective congressional chambers; and 

 

     WHEREAS, the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act of 2013 amends the Immigration and Nationality Act by exempting the children of certain Filipino World War II veterans from the numerical limitations on immigration visas to facilitate reunification of Filipino veterans with their families; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2013, that the President and all members of Congress are urged to support and pass the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act of 2013 to exempt the children of certain Filipino World War II veterans from numerical limitations on immigrant visas; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, Majority Leader of the United States Senate, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of Hawaii's Congressional delegation.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Veterans; Filipino Family Member Reunification; Congress