Heck Recognizes Contributions of Filipino-Americans in World War II

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Greg Lemon
               202-590-0129

Las Vegas – To mark the sixty-sixth anniversary of the Rescission Act of 1946 becoming law, Congressman Joe Heck (R-NV-03) today released the following statement regarding his co-sponsorship of H.R. 210, the Filipino Veterans Fairness Act of 2011.

"It has been sixty-six years since the passage of the Rescission Act. With every day that passes it is estimated that ten of these forgotten soldiers die having received no answer or recognition of service from our government. Prior attempts to justly compensate these veterans fell short in recognizing all of these heroes. That is why I am a co-sponsor of H.R. 210, the Filipino Veterans Fairness Act of 2011. This bill declares service performed before July 1, 1946 as eligibility for those benefits that were previously denied. This bill will also recognize documentation which was previously ruled as insufficient for the purposes of receiving veterans' benefits. I hope that with the passage of H.R. 210 many of these forgotten heroes will finally be recognized for their service, and that they may live out their final years at peace knowing how much we as a nation appreciate their sacrifice and dedication to the cause of freedom."

Background:

On February 18, 1946, President Harry S. Truman signed the Rescission Act of 1946 into law. This law denied over two-hundred thousand Filipino World War II veterans, who served before July 1, 1946, the benefits promised to them five years prior by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  These veterans fought under the direction of U.S. commanders for several years as the conflict against Imperial Japan ensued in the Pacific theater, only to be eventually denied compensation.

Currently, Filipino-Americans account for nearly ten percent of the population of Nevada's Third Congressional district and represent the largest ethnic group among the district's Asian-American population.

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