VETERANS BENEFIT ENHANCEMENT ACT

September 18, 2008

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia: Madam Speaker, I rise to speak today in support of the bill S. 1315, the Veterans Benefit Enhancement Act of 2007, which contains a provision that gives veterans' benefits to Filipinos who fought under the U.S. flag during World War II.

As the only Member of Congress with any Filipino ancestry, I'm pleased to speak today in support of these benefits for Filipino veterans.

Members of the Commonwealth of the Philippines' military were promised full veterans' benefits if they fought for the United States during World War II. Because of this promise, many Filipino soldiers fought tirelessly and courageously for the United States, and they helped us defeat the Japanese empire in the Pacific.

We have failed to fulfill our promise, and these veterans deserve the benefits that they were promised over 60 years ago. S. 1315 provides surviving Filipino veterans, all of whom are now in their eighties, with full veterans' benefits.

In honor of the service of the Filipino veterans, I urge the House of Representatives to act swiftly and to take up and pass S. 1315.