I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 170
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve benefits for Filipino 
veterans of World War II, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 4, 2005
Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD 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 for other 
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Filipino Veterans Fair-
ness Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN FILIPINO VETERANS FOR 
DISABILITY PENSION. 
(a) ELIGIBILITY.—Section 107 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)—
(A) in paragraph (3) of the first sentence, 
by inserting ‘‘15,’’ before ‘‘23,’’; and 
(B) in the second sentence, by striking 
‘‘subsection (c) or (d)’’ and inserting ‘‘sub-
sections (c), (d), and (e)’’ ; and 
(2) in subsection (b)—
(A) in paragraph (2) of the first sentence, 
by inserting ‘‘15,’’ before ‘‘23,’’; and 
(B) in the second sentence, by striking 
‘‘subsection (c) or (d)’’ and inserting ‘‘sub-
sections (c), (d), and (e)’’. 
(b) RATE OF PAYMENT.—That section is further 
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(e) In the case of benefits under chapter 15 of this 
title paid by reason of service described in subsection (a) 
or (b)—
‘‘(1) if the benefits are paid to an individual re-
siding in the United States who is a citizen of, or 
an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence 
in, the United States, the second sentence of the ap-
plicable subsection shall not apply; and 
‘‘(2) if the benefits are paid to an individual re-
siding in the Republic of the Philippines, the bene-
fits shall be paid (notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law) at the rate of $100 per month.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect on the date of the enactment 
of this Act and shall apply to benefits for months begin-
ning on or after that date. 
SEC. 3. ELIGIBILITY FOR VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION. 
(a) ELIGIBILITY.—Section 107 of title 38, United 
States Code, as amended by this Act, is further amend-
ed—
(1) in subsection (a)—
(A) in paragraph (3) of the first sen-
tence—
(i) by striking ‘‘and’’ before ‘‘24’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘, and chapter 31’’ 
before ‘‘of this title’’; 
(B) in the second sentence, by striking 
‘‘and (e)’’ and inserting ‘‘(e), and (f)’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b)—
(A) in paragraph (2) of the first sen-
tence—
(i) by striking ‘‘and’’ before ‘‘24’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘, and chapter 31’’ 
before ‘‘of this title’’;
(B) in the second sentence, by striking 
‘‘and (e)’’ and inserting ‘‘(e), and (f)’’. 
(b) RATE OF PAYMENT.—That section is further 
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(f) In the case of benefits under chapter 31 of this 
title paid by reason of service described in subsection (a) 
or (b), if the benefits are paid to an individual residing 
in the United States who is a citizen of, or an alien law-
fully admitted for permanent residence in, the United 
States, the second sentence of the applicable subsection 
shall not apply.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect on the date of the enactment 
of this Act and shall apply to benefits for months begin-
ning on or after that date. 
SEC. 4. OUTPATIENT HEALTH CARE FOR VETERANS RESID-
ING IN THE PHILIPPINES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter IV of chapter 17 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by redesignating section 1735 as section 
1736; and 
(2) by inserting after section 1734 the following 
new section 1735:
‘‘§ 1735. Outpatient care and services for World War 
II veterans residing in the Philippines 
‘‘(a) OUTPATIENT HEALTH CARE.—The Secretary 
shall furnish care and services to veterans of World War 
II, Commonwealth Army veterans, and new Philippine 
Scouts for the treatment of the service-connected disabil-
ities and nonservice-connected disabilities of such veterans 
and scouts residing in the Republic of the Philippines on 
an outpatient basis at the Manila VA Outpatient Clinic. 
‘‘(b) LIMITATIONS.—(1) The amount expended by 
the Secretary for the purpose of subsection (a) in any fis-
cal year may not exceed $500,000. 
‘‘(2) The authority of the Secretary to furnish care 
and services under subsection (a) is effective in any fiscal 
year only to the extent that appropriations are available 
for that purpose.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 17 of such title is amended 
by striking the item relating to section 1735 and inserting 
the following new items:
‘‘1735. Outpatient care and services for World War II veterans residing in the 
Philippines. 
‘‘1736. Definitions.’’.
SEC. 5. ELIGIBILITY FOR HOUSING LOANS. 
Section 3701(b) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph:
‘‘(6) The term ‘veteran’ also includes an indi-
vidual who is a Commonwealth Army veteran (as de-
fined in subsection (a) of section 3566 of this title), 
or a new Philippine Scout (as defined in subsection 
(b) of such section) who resides in the United 
States.’’. 
SEC. 6. EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS FOR SPOUSES AND DE-
PENDENTS. 
(a) INCLUSION
OF SPOUSES.—Section 3565(a) of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(a) The term ‘eligible person’ as used in section 
3501(a)(1) of this title includes the spouse, surviving 
spouse, and child of a Commonwealth Army veteran or 
a ‘New’ Philippine Scouts in the same manner as a spouse, 
surviving spouse, and child of a person who meets the re-
quirements of service-connected disability or death under 
such section, based on service as defined in section 3566 
of this title.’’. 
(b) INCREASE IN RATES PAYABLE FOR DEPENDENTS 
RESIDING IN THE UNITED STATES.—Section 3565(b) of 
such title is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘children’’ in the matter pre-
ceding paragraph (1) and inserting ‘‘a spouse, sur-
viving spouse, or child’’;
(2) by redesignating paragraph (2) as para-
graph (3); 
(3) in paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘, and’’ and in-
serting ‘‘in the case of a spouse, surviving spouse, or 
child residing in the Philippines,’’; and 
(4) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(2) notwithstanding section 3532(d) of this 
title, educational assistance allowances authorized by 
section 3532 of this title and the special training al-
lowance authorized by section 3542 of this title shall 
be paid at the rate of $1.00 for each dollar in the 
case of a spouse, surviving spouse, or child residing 
in the United States, and’’. 
SEC. 7. ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS FOR JOB COUNSELING, 
TRAINING, AND PLACEMENT. 
(a) VETERANS.—Section 4101(4) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting before the period the 
following: ‘‘, and includes a Commonwealth Army veteran 
(as defined in subsection (a) of section 3566 of this title), 
or a new Philippine Scout (as defined in subsection (b) 
of such section)’’. 
(b) DEPENDENTS.—Section 4104(5) of such title is 
amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end of subparagraph 
(B); 
(2) by striking the period at the end of sub-
paragraph (C) and inserting ‘‘, or’’ and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(D) the spouse or child of a Common-
wealth Army veteran (as defined in subsection 
(a) of section 3566 of this title), or a new Phil-
ippine Scout (as defined in subsection (b) of 
such section).’’. 
SEC. 8. REPRESENTATION ON ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON 
MINORITY VETERANS. 
Section 544(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subpara-
graph: 
‘‘(D) The Secretary shall ensure that at least one 
member of the Committee each year is a Commonwealth 
Army veteran (as defined in subsection (a) of section 3566 
of this title), or a new Philippine Scout (as defined in sub-
section (b) of such section).’’.
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