US Congress to deal with Filvets' bill in September

CHICAGO, Illinois - The whole summer of "backroom maneuvering" to get the Senate Bill 1315 on the House floor is not enough. As the U.S. House of Representatives goes on a 39-day recess from August 1, supporters of the Filipino Veterans bill got an assurance from the staff of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Dem.-CA-18) that the US Congress leader is going to calendar S. 1315 when session resumes after September 8. This means that the month-long hiatus should give the supporters and lobbyists of the Filipino veterans bill an opportunity to regroup and revitalize strategies to get the bill through the House. At a conference call on Saturday, July 26, presided over by Eric Lachica, executive director of the American Coalition for Filipino Veterans, it was disclosed that the "magic number" of votes needed to obtain the 218 simple majority votes is “39 Republican congressmen." Out of 236 Democrats, 143 are voting for S. 1315 while 37 out of 199 Republicans are voting for it. Based on the current figures, a total of 39 votes are still needed to come up with the 218 majority votes. However, if the House would like to ensure a veto-proof two-thirds majority, it will need 70 more votes to come up with the total of 287 votes. In two previous meetings with the Pelosi's staff during the last two weeks, the ACFV representatives were told that Speaker Pelosi was doing her best to help the bill go thru. "Our agenda was to realistically assess campaign and intensify or ‘whip’ the necessary votes to approve S. 1315 before the House adjourns on Sept. 26," Lachica said. In a crucial meeting convened by Rep. Mike Honda (D-Campbell CA), chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, the key aides of Speaker Pelosi "reassured " the support of Capitol Hill team of advocates, Lachica said. It was disclosed that the shortage of the needed votes are due to the following: 1) More than a dozen members of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats caucus (51 votes) had clearly expressed their reluctance to vote for S.1315, according to the staff; 2) Rep. Stephen Buyer (R-Indiana), Republican ranking member and former chairman of the VA Committee, with the help of the American Legion Washington DC officials dissuaded House Republican members from supporting the Filipino veterans bill "because of their unfounded claim that funds would be taken from VA disability programs. This issue was clarified by Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) and resolved by the overwhelming vote of 96 to 1 in the full Senate;" and 3) Certain vulnerable and freshmen Democrats up for re-election are privately worried about this issue. The earlier goal of getting a two-third majority to approve S. 1315 is unrealistic without extensive debate, "killer amendments," or it being sent back (motion to recommit) to the Veterans Affairs Committee. The Speaker's and Whip's staff were hopeful the bill will be passed during the September vote if there are enough votes committed between the August 1 to Labor Day (Sept. 6) recess. The veterans bill supporters will have a “three-week window from Sept. 8 to Sept. 26, to get S. 1315 approved as a probable rider a larger must-pass (Omnibus) bill. Actions being undertaken by ACFV and other supporters were: 1) Bi-partisan "Dear Colleague" letter to be obtained from Chairman Filner and Rep. Darrell ISSA co-chair of Philippines-US Friendship Caucus appealing to members to vote for S.1315 based on Pelosi's June 30th announcement that she will bring our bill to floor vote "soon." 2) Joint letter of support from the chairs of the congressional caucuses: Asian American (10), Hispanic (20), Black (40) and other sympathetic. 3) One-minute House floor statements made by our cosponsors urging vote on S.1315. 4) House resolution will be introduced this week by Issa and Filner honoring the sacrifices of Filipino WWII veterans on the anniversary of the July 26, 1941 Military Order drafting Filipino soldiers into the US Army by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. 5) Urgent local actions by our veterans and community leaders to visit and meet face-to-face their congressmembers at district offices to demanding congressional approval. 6) Meeting Speaker Pelosi in person to reaffirm her pledge to Filipino American/Asian community leaders in San Francisco tentatively around August 4 week. 7) Photo op by our veterans to thank presidential candidates Obama and McCain for their public calls for passage of S.1315; and 8) Filipino Americans should meet with congressmen in their respective districts or send and follow up calls, fax or emails to seek their support for the bill. S. Bill 1315 was overwhelmingly passed last April, granting non-service benefits to Filipino World War II veterans. - GMANews.TV