JFAV UPDATE
January 26, 2015

HELLER-HIRONO BILL, ANOTHER BROKEN PROMISE BILL

Los Angeles—“Another wrong step into a wrong direction”

The Justice For Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) thru its National Coordinator Arturo Garcia called Senators Dean Heller and Mazie Hirono sponsored “Filipino Veterans Promise Bill of 2015” another “ wrong step into a wrong direction.”

Garcia further said, “Although we are appreciate the concern of Senator Heller and Hirono for our remaining 70,000 Filipino World War II Veterans and 60,000 widows and relatives, we must focused on the real demands of our constituents for total and unconditional recognition and benefits.

We should not be sidetracked with peripheral demands like “ a process that will give them benefits” and not recognition for total equity for our time, our veterans time is limited.

For us time is of the essence because five veterans die a day and the US Congress is dilly –dallying.”

Heller’s Bill, A Recycled Bill

The Filipino Veterans Promise Act “ would direct the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to consult with military historians and establish a process to determine whether certain individuals might qualify for government benefits and compensation, if they are not already on an approved list.”

Essentially it was akin to Heller’s Promise Bill incorporated to the Sanders Bill passed in the Senate in 20014 that “established a process for 4.500 denied veterans claims in the DVA.” that proceeded at a snail pace.

JFAV challenged Senators Heller and Hirono to file or support the Filipino Veterans Recognition Act of 2013 jointly sponsored by Senator Shatz of Hawaii and Rep. Jackie Speier of California that has been languishing in the US Congress since 2011.

Recognition and Equity, Now!

For JFAV, we want a united bill for Filipino Veterans not stand alone or separate bills for political expediency.

We want a comprehensive equity bill, not a promise bill that will only tantamount to another broken promise.

Garcia said, “ We call on the 114th US Congress, to both the GOP and Democrats to act with dispatch and not perpetuate the racism and discrimination that the Filipino World War II Veterans suffers for more than 69 years.”

For more information please call Al P. Garcia (213) 241-0995 or email us at [email protected]