I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2352
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide eligibility for Department 
of Veterans Affairs health care for certain Filipino World War II veterans 
residing in the United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 5, 2003
Mr. SIMMONS (for himself, Mr. FILNER, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. EVANS, Mr. 
CUNNINGHAM, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mrs. DAVIS of 
California, Mr. ISSA, and Mr. SMITH of New Jersey) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide eligibility 
for Department of Veterans Affairs health care for cer-
tain Filipino World War II veterans residing in the 
United States.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. ELIGIBILITY FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS HEALTH CARE OF CERTAIN FILI-
PINO WORLD WAR II VETERANS RESIDING IN 
THE UNITED STATES. 
(a) ELIGIBILITY.—The text of section 1734 of title 
38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(a) The Secretary shall furnish hospital and nursing 
home care and medical services to any individual described 
in subsection (b) in the same manner, and subject to the 
same terms and conditions, as apply to the furnishing of 
such care and services to individuals who are veterans as 
defined in section 101(2) of this title. Any disability of 
an individual described in subsection (b) that is a service-
connected disability for purposes of this subchapter (as 
provided for under section 1735(2) of this title) shall be 
considered to be a service-connected disability for purposes 
of furnishing care and services under the preceding sen-
tence. 
‘‘(b) Subsection (a) applies to any individual who is 
a Commonwealth Army veteran or new Philippine Scout 
and who— 
‘‘(1) is residing in the United States; and 
‘‘(2) is a citizen of the United States or an 
alien lawfully admitted to the United States for per-
manent residence.’’.
(b) LIMITATION.—(1) The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall take effect on the date on which the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs submits to the Committees on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representa-
tives and publishes in the Federal Register a certification 
described in paragraph (2). 
(2) A certification referred to in paragraph (1) is a 
certification that sufficient resources are available for the 
fiscal year during which the certification is submitted to 
carry out section 1734 of title 38, United States Code, 
as amended by such amendment, during that fiscal year 
at each significantly affected health care facility of the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs. 
(3) For purposes of paragraph (2), the term ‘‘signifi-
cantly affected health care facilty’’ means a health care 
facility at which, as determined by the Secretary, it is rea-
sonably foreseeable that the implementation of the provi-
sions of section 1734 of title 38, United States Code, as 
amended by subsection (a), will result in a significant in-
crease in the use of health care resources due to the num-
ber of veterans described in subsection (b) of that section 
who are considered to be likely to seek hospital or nursing 
home care or medical services, as authorized by subsection 
(a) of that section, at that facility.
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