I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2352

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide eligibility for Department 

of Veterans Affairs health care for certain Filipino World War II veterans 

residing in the United States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 5, 2003

Mr. SIMMONS (for himself, Mr. FILNER, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. EVANS, Mr. 

CUNNINGHAM, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mrs. DAVIS of 

California, Mr. ISSA, and Mr. SMITH of New Jersey) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide eligibility 

for Department of Veterans Affairs health care for certain Filipino World War II veterans residing in the 

United States.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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1 SECTION 1. ELIGIBILITY FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

2 AFFAIRS HEALTH CARE OF CERTAIN FILI3 PINO WORLD WAR II VETERANS RESIDING IN 

4 THE UNITED STATES. 

5 (a) ELIGIBILITY.—The text of section 1734 of title 

6 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 

7 ‘‘(a) The Secretary shall furnish hospital and nursing 

8 home care and medical services to any individual described 

9 in subsection (b) in the same manner, and subject to the 

10 same terms and conditions, as apply to the furnishing of 

11 such care and services to individuals who are veterans as 

12 defined in section 101(2) of this title. Any disability of 

13 an individual described in subsection (b) that is a service14 connected disability for purposes of this subchapter (as 

15 provided for under section 1735(2) of this title) shall be 

16 considered to be a service-connected disability for purposes 

17 of furnishing care and services under the preceding sen18 tence. 

19 ‘‘(b) Subsection (a) applies to any individual who is 

20 a Commonwealth Army veteran or new Philippine Scout 

21 and who— 

22 ‘‘(1) is residing in the United States; and 

23 ‘‘(2) is a citizen of the United States or an 

24 alien lawfully admitted to the United States for per25 manent residence.’’. 
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1 (b) LIMITATION.—(1) The amendment made by sub2 section (a) shall take effect on the date on which the Sec3 retary of Veterans Affairs submits to the Committees on 

4 Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representa5 tives and publishes in the Federal Register a certification 

6 described in paragraph (2). 

7 (2) A certification referred to in paragraph (1) is a 

8 certification that sufficient resources are available for the 

9 fiscal year during which the certification is submitted to 

10 carry out section 1734 of title 38, United States Code, 

11 as amended by such amendment, during that fiscal year 

12 at each significantly affected health care facility of the De13 partment of Veterans Affairs. 

14 (3) For purposes of paragraph (2), the term ‘‘signifi15 cantly affected health care facilty’’ means a health care 

16 facility at which, as determined by the Secretary, it is rea17 sonably foreseeable that the implementation of the provi18 sions of section 1734 of title 38, United States Code, as 

19 amended by subsection (a), will result in a significant in20 crease in the use of health care resources due to the num21 ber of veterans described in subsection (b) of that section 

22 who are considered to be likely to seek hospital or nursing 

23 home care or medical services, as authorized by subsection 

24 (a) of that section, at that facility.

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