II 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 690 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to deem certain service in the 

organized military forces of the Government of the Commonwealth of 

the Philippines and the Philippine Scouts to have been active service 

for purposes of benefits under programs administered by the Secretary 

of Veterans Affairs. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 9, 2013 

Mr. SCHATZ (for himself and Ms. HIRONO) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to deem certain 

service in the organized military forces of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines and the 

Philippine Scouts to have been active service for purposes 

of benefits under programs administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Filipino Veterans Fair5 ness Act of 2013’’. 


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•S 690 IS

1 SEC. 2. CERTAIN SERVICE IN THE ORGANIZED MILITARY 

2 FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES AND THE PHIL3 IPPINE SCOUTS DEEMED TO BE ACTIVE 

4 SERVICE. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 107 of title 38, United 

6 States Code, is amended— 

7 (1) in subsection (a)— 

8 (A) by striking ‘‘not’’ after ‘‘Army of the 

9 United States, shall’’; and 

10 (B) by striking ‘‘, except benefits under— 

11 ’’ and all that follows in that subsection and in12 serting a period; 

13 (2) in subsection (b)— 

14 (A) by striking ‘‘not’’ after ‘‘Armed Forces 

15 Voluntary Recruitment Act of 1945 shall’’; and 

16 (B) by striking ‘‘except—’’ and all that fol17 lows in that subsection and inserting a period; 

18 (3) by amending subsection (c) to read as fol19 lows: 

20 ‘‘(c) DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY.— 

21 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In determining the eligi22 bility of the service of an individual under this sec23 tion, the Secretary shall take into account any alter24 native documentation regarding such service, includ25 ing documentation other than the Missouri List, 

26 that the Secretary determines relevant. 


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•S 690 IS

1 ‘‘(2) REPORT.—Not later than March 1 of each 

2 year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 

3 on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and Committee 

4 on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives 

5 a report that includes— 

6 ‘‘(A) the number of individuals applying 

7 for benefits pursuant to this section during the 

8 previous year; and 

9 ‘‘(B) the number of such individuals that 

10 the Secretary approved for benefits.’’; and 

11 (4) by amending subsection (d) to read as fol12 lows: 

13 ‘‘(d) RELATION TO FILIPINO VETERANS EQUITY

14 COMPENSATION FUND.—Section 1002(h) of the American 

15 Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (title X of divi16 sion A of Public Law 111–5; 123 Stat. 200; 38 U.S.C. 

17 107 note) shall not apply to an individual described in sub18 section (a) or (b) of this section.’’. 

19 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—(1) The heading 

20 of such section is amended to read as follows: 


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•S 690 IS

1 ‘‘§ 107. Certain service deemed to be active service: 

2 service in organized military forces of the 

3 Philippines and in the Philippine 

4 Scouts’’. 

5 (2) The item relating to such section in the table of 

6 sections at the beginning of chapter 1 of such title is 

7 amended to read as follows: 

‘‘107. Certain service deemed to be active service: service in organized military 

forces of the Philippines and in the Philippine Scouts.’’. 

8 SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

9 (a) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by this 

10 Act shall take effect on the date that is 90 days after the 

11 date of the enactment of this Act. 

12 (b) APPLICABILITY.—No benefits shall accrue to any 

13 person for any period before the effective date of this Act 

14 by reason of the amendments made by this Act. 

Æ 


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