SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Filipino Veterans Eq-
uity Act of 2008’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) The Philippine islands became a United 
States possession in 1898 when they were ceded 
from Spain following the Spanish-American War. 
(2) During World War II, Filipinos served in a 
variety of units, some of which came under the di-
rect control of the United States Armed Forces. 
(3) The regular Philippine Scouts, the new 
Philippine Scouts, the Guerilla Services, and more 
than 100,000 members of the Philippine Common-
wealth Army were called into the service of the 
United States Armed Forces of the Far East on 
July 26, 1941, by an executive order of President 
Franklin D. Roosevelt. 
(4) Even after hostilities had ceased, wartime 
service of the new Philippine Scouts continued as a 
matter of law until the end of 1946, and the force 
gradually disbanded and was disestablished in 1950. 
(5) Filipino veterans who were granted benefits 
prior to the enactment of the so-called Rescissions 
Acts of 1946 (Public Laws 79–301 and 79–391) 
currently receive full benefits under laws adminis-
tered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, but 
under section 107 of title 38, United States Code, 
the service of certain other Filipino veterans is 
deemed not to be active service for purposes of such 
laws. 
(6) These other Filipino veterans only receive 
certain benefits under title 38, United States Code, 
and, depending on where they legally reside, are paid 
such benefit amounts at reduced rates. 
(7) The benefits such veterans receive include 
service-connected compensation benefits paid under 
chapter 11 of title 38, United States Code, depend-
ency indemnity compensation survivor benefits paid 
under chapter 13 of title 38, United States Code, 
and burial benefits under chapters 23 and 24 of title 
38, United States Code, and such benefits are paid 
to beneficiaries at the rate of $0.50 per dollar au-
thorized, unless they lawfully reside in the United 
States. 
(8) Dependents’ educational assistance under 
chapter 35 of title 38, United States Code, is also 
payable for the dependents of such veterans at the 
rate of $0.50 per dollar authorized, regardless of the 
veterans’ residency.
SEC. 3. PAYMENTS TO ELIGIBLE PERSONS WHO SERVED IN 
THE PHILIPPINES DURING WORLD WAR II. 
(a) COMPENSATION FUND.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is in the general fund 
of the Treasury a fund to be known as the ‘‘Filipino 
Veterans Equity Compensation Fund’’ (in this sec-
tion referred to as the ‘‘compensation fund’’). 
(2) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Subject to the 
availability of appropriations for such purpose, 
amounts in the fund shall be available to the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs without fiscal year limita-
tion to make payments to eligible persons in accord-
ance with this section. 
(b) PAYMENTS.—During the one-year period begin-
ning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall make a payment to an eligible person who, 
during such period, submits to the Secretary an applica-
tion containing such information and assurances as the 
Secretary may require. 
(c) ELIGIBLE PERSONS.—An eligible person is any 
person who served— 
(1) before July 1, 1946, in the organized mili-
tary forces of the Government of the Commonwealth 
of the Philippines, while such forces were in the 
service of the Armed Forces of the United States 
pursuant to the military order of the President
dated July 26, 1941, including among such military 
forces organized guerrilla forces under commanders 
appointed, designated, or subsequently recognized by 
the Commander in Chief, Southwest Pacific Area, or 
other competent authority in the Army of the United 
States; or 
(2) in the Philippine Scouts under section 14 of 
the Armed Forces Voluntary Recruitment Act of 
1945 (59 Stat. 538). 
(d) PAYMENT AMOUNTS.—Each payment under this 
section shall be— 
(1) in the case of an eligible person who is not 
a citizen of the United States, in the amount of 
$9,000; and 
(2) in the case of an eligible person who is a 
citizen of the United States, in the amount of 
$15,000. 
(e) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may not make more 
than one payment under this section for each person de-
scribed in subsection (f). 
(f) ELIGIBILITY OF INDIVIDUALS LIVING OUTSIDE 
THE UNITED STATES ENTITLED TO CERTAIN SOCIAL SE-
CURITY BENEFITS.—Receipt of a payment under this sec-
tion shall not affect the eligibility of an individual residing 
outside the United States to receive benefits under title
VIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) 
or the amount of such benefits. 
(g) RELEASE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the acceptance by an eligible person of a 
payment under this section shall be final, and shall 
constitute a complete release of any claim against 
the United States by reason of any service described 
in subsection (c). 
(2) PAYMENT OF PREVIOUSLY AWARDED BENE-
FITS.—Nothing in this section shall prohibit a per-
son from receiving any benefit to which the person 
is entitled based on a claim for which benefits are 
awarded before the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(h) REPORTS.—The Secretary shall include, in docu-
ments submitted to Congress by the Secretary in support 
of the President’s budget for each fiscal year in which pay-
ments are made from the compensation fund under this 
section, detailed information on the operation of the com-
pensation fund, including the number of applicants, the 
number of eligible persons receiving benefits, the amounts 
paid out of the compensation fund, and the administration 
of the compensation fund.
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6897 
AN ACT 
To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
make certain payments to eligible persons who 
served in the Philippines during World War II.