Council File: 07-0002-S33Subscribe via emailPrint this recordPublic Comment

Title
FILIPINO VETERANS EQUITY ACT OF 2007
Subject
Resolution - WHEREAS, any official position of the City of Los Angeles with respect to legislation, rules, regulations or policies proposed to or pending before a local state or federal governmental body or agency must have first been adopted in the form of a Resolution by the City Council with the concurrence of the Mayor; and WHEREAS, the military forces of the Commonwealth of the Philippines were drafted to serve in the United States Armed Forced in the Far East under the command of General Douglas MacArthur during World War II; and WHEREAS, Filipino soldiers fought with Americans in the bloodiest battles of World War II, including the battle at Corregidor; and WHEREAS, thousands of Filipino prisoners of war died during the 65-mile Bataan Death March and those who survived were imprisoned under inhuman conditions; and WHEREAS, both President Clinton and President Bush issued two Presidential Proclamations recalling the sacrifice, courage, and loyalty of Filipino veterans of World War II; and WHEREAS, the United States Congress passed two resolutions in 1996 and 2005 that recognized and thanked the Filipino veterans of World War II for their service and contribution toward the successful outcome of the war; and WHEREAS, Filipino veterans were promised military benefits and U.S. Citizenship, but the U.S. passed the Recession Act of 1946, Section 107 of Title 38 of the United States code, that mandated that the service performed by Filipino veterans would not be recognized as "active service," thus denying Filipino veterans the rights, privileges, and benefits that U.S. veterans receive, including health benefits and pension; and WHEREAS, on January 4, 2007, Senator Inouye introduced S. 57, cited as the "Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2007," that would amend Title 38 of the United States Code to deem certain service in the organized military forces of the government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines and the Philippine Scouts to have been active service for purposes of benefits under programs administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; and WHEREAS, Senator Inouye also introduced S. 66 that would require the Secretary of the Army to determine the validity of the claims of certain Filipinos that they performed military service on behalf of the United States during World War II; and WHEREAS, S. 66 is a reintroduction of bills sponsored by Senator Inouye in previous Congressional Sessions; and WHEREAS, similar bills that would have granted Filipino veterans of World War II the same rights and benefits as U.S. veterans have been introduced, but have not been enacted; and WHEREAS, of the 120,000 Filipinos that served in the Commonwealth Army during World War II, there are approximately 60,000 Filipino veterans currently residing in the United States and the Philippines; and WHEREAS, the Department of Veterans Affairs reports that the Filipino veteran population is expected to decrease to approximately 20,000 by 2010, roughly one-third of the current population; and WHEREAS, many Filipino veterans will not receive the benefits that they deserve and are entitled to if S. 57 and S. 66 do not pass. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, with the concurrence of the Mayor, that by the adoption of this Resolution, the City of Los Angeles, hereby includes in its 2007-2008 Federal Legislative Program SUPPORT of S. 57 (Inouye), the "Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2007," that would amend Title 38 of the United States Code to deem certain service in the organized military forces of the government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines and the Philippine Scouts to have been active service for purposes of benefits under programs administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and SUPPORT of S. 66 (Inouye) that would require the Secretary of the Army to determine the validity of the claims of certain Filipinos that they performed military service on behalf of the United States during World War II.
Date Received / Introduced
02/16/2007
Last Changed Date
04/19/2007
Mover
ERIC GARCETTI
Second
JOSE HUIZAR
File History
2-16-07 - This day's Council session
2-16-07 - Ref to Intergovernmental Relations Committee
2-16-07 - File to Intergovernmental Relations Committee Clerk
2-27-07 - For ref - Communication from the Chief Legislative Analyst 07-02-0292, dated February 27, 2007, relative to the legislative position on S. 57 (Inouye) and S. 66 (Inouye) Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2007 and the requirement for the Secretary of the Army to determine the validity of the claims by Filipino veterans who performed military service on behalf of the United States during World War II.
3-1-07 - Ref to Intergovernmental Relations Committee - to Committee Clerk
4-3-07 - Council Action - Intergovernmental Relations Committee report ADOPTED, SUBJECT TO THE CONCURRENCE OF THE MAYOR to RESOLVE to include in the City's 2007-2008 Federal Legislative Program SUPPORT of S. 57 (Inouye), the "Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2007," that would amend Title 38 of the United States Code to deem certain service in the organized military forces of the government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines and the Philippine Scouts to have been "active service" for the purposes of receiving benefits under the programs administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; and SUPPORT of S. 66 (Inouye) that would require the Secretary of the Army to determine the validity of the claims by Filipino veterans who performed military service on behalf of the United States during World War II.
4-4-07 - File to Mayor FORTHWITH
4-10-07 - Mayor's message concurred in Council action of April 3, 2007
4-11-07 - File to Council and Legislative Processing Clerk
4-17-07 - File to Intergovernmental Relations Committee Clerk OK
4-19-07 - File in files

Online Documents (Doc)

Title Doc Date

  Council Vote Information  

Meeting Date: 04/03/2007
Meeting Type: Regular
Vote Action: Adopted
Vote Given: (13 - 0 - 2)
Member Name CD Vote
RICHARD ALARCON 7 YES
TONY CARDENAS 6 ABSENT
ERIC GARCETTI 13 YES
WENDY GREUEL 2 YES
JANICE HAHN 15 YES
JOSE HUIZAR 14 YES
TOM LABONGE 4 ABSENT
BERNARD C PARKS 8 YES
JAN PERRY 9 YES
ED REYES 1 YES
BILL ROSENDAHL 11 YES
GREIG SMITH 12 YES
JACK WEISS 5 YES
HERB WESSON 10 YES
DENNIS ZINE 3 YES