May 22, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 86 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E653]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE FILIPINO VETERANS FAMILY REUNIFICATION ACT OF 2019

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. ED CASE

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 22, 2019

  Mr. CASE. Madam Speaker, today, with my colleague, Mr. Young of 
Alaska, I rise to introduce the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification 
Act. I also welcome the companion version of this bill introduced today 
in the U.S. Senate by Senator Hirono of Hawai'i and Senator Murkowski 
of Alaska.
   This bipartisan, bicameral legislation would exempt immigrant visa 
applications of children of Filipino World War II veterans from 
existing caps and allow them to gain green cards on processing and 
approval of their applications, which are still carefully vetted in 
line with existing immigration standards. This bill will not only 
assist these veterans in their senior years but also provide a fitting 
recognition of their critical service in the War.
   In 1941, more than 250,000 Filipino soldiers responded to President 
Roosevelt's call-to-arms in the Philippines and elsewhere and fought 
for the U.S. during World War II. Many of these brave individuals 
returned from the War only to be denied many of the benefits promised 
for their service, and they have spent decades fighting recognition of 
their service. Many such veterans became proud U.S. citizens, though 
today there are only a few thousand Filipino veterans still alive and 
living in the U.S.
   In October 2017, Congress finally awarded the Filipino veterans of 
World War II the Congressional Gold Medal to honor their service to our 
country, but we must do more as we promised. These Filipino American 
veterans long sought to gain entry and citizenship for their children, 
yet our immigrant visa backlog has forced family members to wait up to 
decades and thus effectively prevented these aging veterans from 
reuniting with their families.
   In 2016, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services created the 
Filipino World War II Veterans Parole Program, a temporary 
administrative fix that allows these veterans to request parole for 
their children or siblings. Under this policy, they can live in the 
U.S. pending processing of their permanent resident applications, which 
may still take years if not decades. However, as these veterans near 
the end of their lives, they deserve the certainty of a non-revocable 
permanent solution. This bill would grant them that.
   In this Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and in further 
recognition of the selfless service and contributions of Filipino 
veterans of World War II to our country, I urge my colleagues to join 
us in supporting and passing this bill.

                          ____________________