 |
| Filipino WWII veterans chained themselves to the White House fence while seeking recognition and benefits. |
THE U.S. CONGRESS will honor Filipino World War II veterans with the Congressional Gold Medal, at a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 25.
“The United States is indebted to the service, bravery, and perseverance of Filipino veterans of World War II. Their sacrifices were left untold in the United States for decades, as they fought for recognition by the country they served," said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-HI. "I am proud that we can correct the record today, and finally honor the service and sacrifice of these heroes and their families, and ensure they are never forgotten.”
“The presentation of the Congressional Gold Medal to our Filipino World War II veterans is the culmination of decades of work to honor these veterans for their service to our country,” said Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-HI. “These veterans and their families overcame many challenges in their fight for compensation, family reunification, and verification of wartime service. I look forward to participating in the ceremony to provide this long overdue recognition next month.”
RELATED:
The medal, Congress' highest civilian honor, and ceremony are a result of the bill introduced by the two Hawaii lawmakers to honor the over 260,000 Filipino and Filipino/American soldiers who fought in the Pacific Theater.
The ceremony will take place on Oct. 25 at 11 a.m. EST in Emancipation Hall and will be live-streamed on speaker.gov/live.
Filipino World War II veterans and their families who are interested in participating in the ceremony and receiving a bronze replica medal should register through the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project at www.filvetrep.org/registry.
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will take part in the bipartisan, bicameral ceremony.
Hirono and Gabbard’s law, the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act (Public Law 114-265), was signed into law by President Obama and awarded the medal collectively to the over 260,000 Filipino and Filipino-American soldiers who responded to President Roosevelt’s call-to-duty and fought under the American flag during World War II.
"I urge all eligible veterans and their families to register with the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project to be included in this honor,” said Hirono.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR A MEDAL
Veterans or their surviving relatives must register with the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project if they wish to participate in the ceremony and receive a bronze replica medal. Applications can be found online through the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project at www.filvetrep.org/registry.
Veterans or their surviving relatives must register with the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project if they wish to participate in the ceremony and receive a bronze replica medal. Applications can be found online through the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project at www.filvetrep.org/registry.
_______________________________________________________________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment