I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 664

To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve benefits for Filipino 

veterans of World War II and surviving spouses of such veterans, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 11, 2003

Mr. FILNER (for himself, Mr. SIMMONS, Mr. EVANS, Mr. CUNNINGHAM, Ms. 

PELOSI, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. ISSA, Ms. LOFGREN, Ms. MILLENDERMCDONALD, Mr. TIAHRT, and Mr. ABERCROMBIE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve benefits 

for Filipino veterans of World War II and surviving 

spouses of such veterans, and for other purposes.

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 ‘‘Health Care for Fili5 pino World War II Veterans Act’’. 
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1 SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY FOR HEALTH CARE OF CERTAIN ADDI2 TIONAL FILIPINO WORLD WAR II VETERANS 

3 RESIDING IN THE UNITED STATES. 

4 The text of section 1734 of title 38, United States 

5 Code, is amended to read as follows: 

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

7 home care and medical services to any individual described 

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

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

10 such care and services to individuals who are veterans as 

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

12 an individual described in subsection (b) that is a service13 connected disability for purposes of this subchapter (as 

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

15 considered to be a service-connected disability for purposes 

16 of furnishing care and services under the preceding sen17 tence. 

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

19 a Commonwealth Army veteran or new Philippine Scout 

20 and who—

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

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

23 alien lawfully admitted to the United States for per24 manent residence.’’. 
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1 SEC. 3. RATE OF PAYMENT OF DEPENDENCY AND INDEM2 NITY COMPENSATION FOR SURVIVING 

3 SPOUSES OF CERTAIN FILIPINO VETERANS. 

4 (a) RATE OF PAYMENT.—Subsection (c) of section 

5 107 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by insert6 ing ‘‘, and under chapter 13 of this title,’’ after ‘‘chapter 

7 11 of this title’’. 

8 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

9 subsection (a) shall take effect on the date of the enact10 ment of this Act and shall apply to benefits paid for 

11 months beginning on or after that date. 

12 SEC. 4. RATE OF PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION BENEFITS 

13 FOR NEW PHILIPPINE SCOUTS RESIDING IN 

14 THE UNITED STATES. 

15 (a) RATE OF PAYMENT.—Section 107 of title 38, 

16 United States Code, as amended by section 3(a), is further 

17 amended—

18 (1) in the second sentence of subsection (b), by 

19 striking ‘‘Payments’’ and inserting ‘‘Except as pro20 vided in subsection (c) or (d), payments’’; and 

21 (2) in subsection (c)—

22 (A) by inserting ‘‘or (b)’’ after ‘‘subsection 

23 (a)’’ the first place it appears; and 

24 (B) by striking ‘‘subsection (a)’’ the second 

25 place it appears and inserting ‘‘the applicable 

26 subsection’’. 
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1 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

2 subsection (a) shall take effect on the date of the enact3 ment of this Act and shall apply to benefits paid for 

4 months beginning on or after that date. 

5 SEC. 5. BURIAL BENEFITS FOR NEW PHILIPPINE SCOUTS. 

6 (a) BENEFIT ELIGIBILITY.—Subsection (b)(2) of sec7 tion 107 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—

8 (1) by striking ‘‘and’’; and 

9 (2) by inserting ‘‘, 23, and 24 (to the extent 

10 provided for in section 2402(8) of this title)’’ after 

11 ‘‘1312(a))’’. 

12 (b) BENEFIT RATE FOR CERTAIN PERSONS IN THE

13 UNITED STATES.—Subsection (d) of such section is 

14 amended—

15 (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘or sub16 section (b), as the case may be,’’ after ‘‘subsection 

17 (a)’’; and 

18 (2) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘, or whose 

19 service is described in subsection (b) and who dies 

20 on or after the date of the enactment of the Health 

21 Care for Filipino World War II Veterans Act’’ in the 

22 matter preceding subparagraph (A) after ‘‘this sub23 section’’. 
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1 (c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 2402(8) of 

2 such title is amended by inserting ‘‘or 107(b)’’ after 

3 ‘‘107(a)’’. 

4 (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

5 subsection (a) shall apply with respect to deaths occurring 

6 on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

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