STAND. COM. REP. 3332

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: S.R. No. 51

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations, to which was referred S.R. No. 51 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO SUPPORT THE PASSAGE OF H.R. 3587 TO BENEFIT FILIPINO WORLD WAR II VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge the President of the United States and the United States Congress to support passage of H.R. 3587 to benefit Filipino World War II veterans and their families.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Philippines Scouts Organization of Hawaii, Advocates for Consumer Rights, WWII Fil-AM Veterans, and nine individuals. Your Committee heard this measure together with S.C.R. No. 203 and S.R. 114, with the same testifiers for all measures.

This measure requests the President of the United States and the U.S. Congress to extend to the children of Filipino World War II veterans the same immigration and citizenship rights as extended to the veterans themselves by previous federal legislation. Without extension of such benefits, the sons and daughters living in the Philippines will continue to be separated from their parents, who live in Hawaii and are elderly and frail. Your Committee finds that Filipino veterans fought honorably for the United States in World War II and deserve this recognition for their loyalty and valor.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 51 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations,

____________________________

CAL KAWAMOTO, Chair