II 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 79 

To require the Secretary of the Army to determine the validity of the claims 

of certain Filipinos that they performed military service on behalf of 

the United States during World War II. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 24, 2005 

Mr. INOUYE introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of the Army to determine the validity of the claims of certain Filipinos that they performed 

military service on behalf of the United States during 

World War II. 

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

3 SECTION 1. DETERMINATIONS BY THE SECRETARY OF THE 

4 ARMY. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Upon the written application of 

6 any person who is a national of the Philippine Islands, 

7 the Secretary of the Army shall determine whether such 

8 person performed any military service in the Philippine Is-
2 

•S 79 IS 

1 lands in aid of the Armed Forces of the United States 

2 during World War II which qualifies such person to re3 ceive any military, veterans’, or other benefits under the 

4 laws of the United States. 

5 (b) INFORMATION TO BE CONSIDERED.—In making 

6 a determination for the purpose of subsection (a), the Sec7 retary shall consider all information and evidence (relating 

8 to service referred to in subsection (a)) that is available 

9 to the Secretary, including information and evidence sub10 mitted by the applicant, if any. 

11 SEC. 2. CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE. 

12 (a) ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE.—The 

13 Secretary of the Army shall issue a certificate of service 

14 to each person determined by the Secretary to have per15 formed military service described in section 1(a). 

16 (b) EFFECT OF CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE.—A cer17 tificate of service issued to any person under subsection 

18 (a) shall, for the purpose of any law of the United States, 

19 conclusively establish the period, nature, and character of 

20 the military service described in the certificate. 

21 SEC. 3. APPLICATIONS BY SURVIVORS. 

22 An application submitted by a surviving spouse, child, 

23 or parent of a deceased person described in section 1(a) 

24 shall be treated as an application submitted by such per25 son. 
3 

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1 SEC. 4. LIMITATION PERIOD. 

2 The Secretary of the Army may not consider for the 

3 purpose of this Act any application received by the Sec4 retary more than two years after the date of the enact5 ment of this Act. 

6 SEC. 5. PROSPECTIVE APPLICATION OF DETERMINATIONS 

7 BY THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY. 

8 No benefits shall accrue to any person for any period 

9 before the date of the enactment of this Act as a result 

10 of the enactment of this Act. 

11 SEC. 6. REGULATIONS. 

12 The Secretary of the Army shall prescribe regulations 

13 to carry out sections 1, 3, and 4. 

14 SEC. 7. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SECRETARY OF VET15 ERANS AFFAIRS. 

16 Any entitlement of a person to receive veterans’ bene17 fits by reason of this Act shall be administered by the De18 partment of Veterans Affairs pursuant to regulations pre19 scribed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 

20 SEC. 8. DEFINITION. 

21 In this Act, the term ‘‘World War II’’ means the pe22 riod beginning on December 7, 1941, and ending on De23 cember 31, 1946. 

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