Bill Text: HI SCR151 | 2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii Senate Concurrent Resolution 151 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Filipino World War Two Veterans; United States Congress; Congressional Gold Medal

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2016-04-04 - Referred to VMI, FIN, referral sheet 41 [SCR151 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2016-SCR151-Introduced.html

THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	151
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

requesting the united states congress to award a congressional gold medal collectively to filipino veterans of world war ii.

WHEREAS, during World War II, the Philippines was a commonwealth of the United States; and

WHEREAS, President Franklin D. Roosevelt used the authority vested in him by the Constitution of the United States to call all of the organized military forces of the government of the Philippines into the service of the United States, although they were not officially United States soldiers; and

WHEREAS, nearly 100,000 soldiers of the Philippine Commonwealth Army fought alongside the United States and Allied forces to defend and reclaim the Philippine islands from Japanese colonial rule; and

WHEREAS, the Filipino veterans of World War II who fought alongside United States veterans as an integral part of the United States Armed Forces were not only defending or fighting for the Philippines, but also defending and ultimately liberating sovereign territory held by the United States government; and

WHEREAS, these Filipino soldiers played a vital role in the Allied victory as their numerous guerrilla actions provided the United States Armed Forces with time to build and prepare to mount a counterattack; and

WHEREAS, the commitment and sacrifice of these Filipino soldiers demonstrate a highly uncommon and commendable sense of patriotism and honor; and

WHEREAS, the United States remains forever indebted to the bravery, valor, and dedication that the Filipino veterans of World War II displayed; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2016, the House of Representatives concurring, that the United States Congress is requested to award a Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the Filipino veterans of World War II in recognition of their dedicated service; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Members of Hawaii's congressional delegation, and Director of the Office of Veterans' Services.