HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	19
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

URGING THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES TO ENACT LEGISLATION TO EXEMPT CHILDREN OF FILIPINO WORLD WAR II VETERANS FROM IMMIGRANT VISA LIMITS.

     WHEREAS, between 1934 and Philippine independence in 1946, the United States retained certain powers over the Philippines, then a United States possession; and

     WHEREAS, these rights included the right to call into the service of the United States military those forces organized by the Commonwealth government; and

     WHEREAS, on July 26, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Military Order No. 81, placing the Philippine Commonwealth Armed Forces and the Special Philippine Scouts under the United States Armed Forces command to join the military assault against the Japanese forces in defense of America's democracy; and

     WHEREAS, throughout 1941-1946, tens of thousands of Filipino soldiers were held as prisoners, risking their lives and the lives of their families while waging resistance against the invading Japanese forces and boldly assisting the United States Armed Forces in its campaign to liberate the Philippines; and

     WHEREAS, Filipino wartime veterans, many of whom were permanently disabled and honorably discharged from the military after serving more than ninety days on active duty military service during World War II, are eligible for federal veterans benefits and services; and

     WHEREAS, former President Bill Clinton on October 17, 1996, President George W. Bush on July 26, 2001, and the United States Congress by H.R. 622 and S. 387 on September 13, 2006, recognized and proclaimed the vital role that the Filipino wartime soldiers played in assisting the United States Armed Forces in defeating the invading Japanese forces in defense of freedom; and

     WHEREAS, through the Immigration Act of 1990, U.S. citizenship was awarded to each veteran but excluded the veterans' dependents, unfairly requiring that each veteran submit an immigrant petition with supporting affidavits requesting that the veterans' dependents be permitted to reunited and live with the veteran; and

     WHEREAS, the wait for these adult children for immigration petitions to be approved is approximately fourteen to fifteen years; and

     WHEREAS, proposed federal legislation is now pending in Congress, in the form of H.R. 1287 entitled "Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act," to exempt children of certain Filipino World War II veterans from the numerical limitations on immigrant visas; and

     WHEREAS, at present, married sons and daughters, including those of Filipino World War II veterans, are annually allocated no more than 23,400 visas worldwide and the same number is allocated for unmarried sons and daughters; and

     WHEREAS, proposed federal legislation would exempt aliens who are eligible for an immigrant visa under paragraph (1) or (3) of section 203(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(1)) and who have a parent who was naturalized pursuant to section 405 of the Immigration Act of 1990 (8 U.S.C. 1440 note); and

     WHEREAS, in other words, this proposed federal exemption would be extended to married and unmarried sons and daughters of Filipino veterans who became naturalized United States citizens due to military service during World War II; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, the Senate concurring, that the United States Congress is urged to enact legislation to exempt children of Filipino World War II veterans from immigrant visa limits and grant them priority issuance of visas; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of Hawaii's congressional delegation.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Filipino World War II Veterans; Family Reunification