Washington DC-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and WWII veterans Senator Daniel K. Akaka, Chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, and Senator Daniel K. Inouye discuss the Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007. 

Senator Reid said, "On Tuesday, the Senate will vote on whether to proceed to the consideration of S. 1315, the Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act.  This important bill would fix a historical wrong done to Filipino veterans that served under U.S. command during World War II and who were promised benefits comparable to those of all American veterans.  That promise has not been kept and it's past time to make this right.

"Senate Democrats are fighting for the rights of all our veterans who answered this country's call to battle.  The travesty here is that Filipino WWII veterans have been woefully ignored even though they fought for our country," Reid said. "For decades we have tried to restore the benefits that we gave to Filipino veterans following the war, but were later taken away.  Time is running out.  The average age of these vets is 80 and we can't afford to wait any longer to do what's right. These soldiers made a promise to protect and fight for us and we must keep our promise to honor and fight for them. "

Senator Akaka said, "This legislation will enable Congress to begin to rectify a wrong done to Filipino World War II veterans over 60 years ago.  The United States has a moral obligation to care for those who have served under its flag.  I believe in the soldier's creed, ‘leave no man behind.'  This Nation should not leave these aged veterans behind during their twilight years."

"We have an opportunity to make right an injustice that has carried on for 60 years, an injustice that has outlived most of these Filipinos who fought side-by-side with American troops," Akaka said.  "This bill compliments the record increases in the VA budget passed by Democrats since taking over Congress, following years of underfunding VA in a time of war."

Senator Inouye said, "This measure is about equity.  It is about justice.  When President Roosevelt in 1941 issued an executive order calling members of the Philippine Commonwealth Army into the service of the U.S. military, they were promised full U.S. veterans' benefits.  But in 1946, the U.S. Congress betrayed the Filipino veterans - who fought and died in the same manner as American troops in World War II - by enacting legislation that denied Filipino veterans the benefits to which they were entitled.  This is wrong and un-American.  After more than 60 years, this situation must be rectified."

In addition to the Filipino veterans' provisions, the Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act would improve life insurance programs for disabled veterans, increase benefits for education programs, and improve housing programs for disabled service members, and among other things. 

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