Schatz tries to get benefits for Filipino veterans of WWII

On the 71st anniversary of the Bataan Death March, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz introduced legislation that would restore full veterans benefits to Filipinos who volunteered to serve with U.S. armed forces and allied soldiers during World War II.

"These veterans are still being denied their basic rights," the Hawaii Demo­crat said Tuesday at a Washington, D.C., news conference.

During World War II more than 200,000 Filipinos volunteered to fight alongside U.S. troops.

"The premise of this legislation is simple," Schatz added. "These individuals fought as American soldiers, and they deserve to be treated as American soldiers."

The Filipino soldiers were promised all the benefits afforded to those serving in the U.S. armed forces, Schatz said.

Congress, however, in 1946, stripped many Filipinos veterans of the benefits that had been promised by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Over the past several years, members of Hawaii’s congressional delegation have sought to restore the benefits to the veterans, many of whom are in their 90s. Schatz’s bill, co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, is the latest effort.

To commemorate the 71st anniversary of the Bataan Death March, a Day of Valor ceremony at Punchbowl on Tuesday recognized the heroism of Filipino and U.S. soldiers when the Japa­nese occupied the Philippines during World War II. In April 1942, U.S. and Filipino soldiers were forced to undertake the 66-mile Bataan Death March, which claimed up to 10,000 Filipino and American lives.

"Filipino veterans who fought in World War II are American veterans and deserve to be treated fairly," Schatz said in a written statement. "These veterans and their families have waited for decades to receive the compensation that they deserve, and it is unacceptable for our country to deny them these benefits for their service."

The bill eliminates the distinction between the regular or "old" Philippine Scouts and the other three groups of veterans — who served with the Commonwealth Army of the Philippines, the Recognized Guerrilla Forces and the New Philippine Scouts — some of whom received some benefits while others did not. Under the bill Filipino veterans and family members would be eligible for benefits afforded other veterans and their families.

A companion measure was offered in the House by U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif.

She said 66 countries allied with the United States during World War II, but only Filipinos were denied benefits.

Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which included a provision that authorized the payment of benefits to the then 30,000 surviving Filipino veterans in the amount of $15,000 for citizens and $9,000 for noncitizens.

Last month U.S. Rep. Colleen Hana­busa and Hirono, both Hawaii Demo­crats, introduced bills that would reunite Filipino World War II veterans with their families. The bills would exempt the veterans’ adult children, many of whom have been on immigration waiting lists for decades, from limits on immigrant visas into the United States.

Only about 6,000 Filipino World War II veterans who served are now alive, Hana­busa said.

In 1990, Congress provided Filipino veterans a waiver from certain naturalization requirements, and many became U.S. citizens. However, allowances were not made for their children.

Hanabusa also introduced legislation to award the Filipino veterans with a Congressional Gold Medal to recognize their service.

On April 9, 1942, the Japa­nese forced 60,000 to 80,000 Filipino and American prisoners of war to walk to Camp O’Donnell after Bataan fell following a three-month battle for the Philippines. Approximately 2,50010,000 Filipino and 100-650 American prisoners of war died before they could reach the POW camp.