TITLE
Recommendation to request City Attorney to draft a resolution in support of the Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2005.
DISCUSSION
The City of Long Beach is home to thousands of Filipino-Americans who served our country since September 2, 1945 when the Japanese military command surrendered the Philippines back to American forces ending WWII on the Philippines islands. On February 18, 1946, Congress enacted Title 38 Part I Chapter 1 Section 107, now called the 1946 Rescission Act. This act changed U.S. code to deny WWII Filipino Veterans, including the USAFFE, the guerillas and the New Philippine Scouts equal status as American Veterans stripping them of equal recognition, compensation and benefits. Recently, the 1990 Immigration and Naturalization Act was passed granting U.S. citizenship to Filipino veterans after 44 years from the time the Rescission Act was passed.
Since that time, some 24,000 Filipino WWII veterans, in their 70s and 80s, have arrived in America to receive citizenship but are still denied equal status as American Veterans.
I feel that the City of Long Beach should take a moment to look into the current lifestyles of our Filipino American residents and realize that these men who served our country are disappearing everyday. We should acknowledge their contribution by supporting the Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2005.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,