OUR HOPES AND DREAMS; FIGHT RACISM AND STRUGGLE AGAINST RACIAL DISCRIMINATION! (tags)
On January 20,2009 a new President- An African American named Barack Obama will be inaugurated in Washington DC. To many, the dream that racism is no more is reality and the dreams of equality for all will be achieved. But not for the Filipino American community who still feel the fangs of racism at the hands the US Congress. On September 22, the US Congress House of Representatives passed the SB 1315 or the American Veterans Benefits Enhancement Bill, But they removed the whole section that pertains to Filipino World War II veterans. They excluded again the Filipinos, in a blatant act of racism in the law.
PETITION FOR THE US CONGRESS (tags)
e: www.myspace.com/jfavla PETITION FOR THE US CONGRESS TO IMMEDIATELY CALL A JOINT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE AND RECONCILE FILIPINO VETERANS BILLS NOW! Restore Section 4 of SB 1315 for the Filipino Veterans and junk HR 6897—the quit claim bill. We call on the US Congress to immediately call a joint conference committee and reconcile SB 1315 and HR 6897, which were both passed at the House of Representatives last September 22, 2008.
JFAV PETITION TO US CONGRESS (tags)
Restore Section 4 of SB 1315 for the Filipino Veterans and junk HR 6897—the quit claim bill. We call on the US Congress to immediately call a joint conference committee and reconcile SB 1315 and HR 6897, which were both passed at the House of Representatives last September 22, 2008. We demand that the joint US Congress conference committee restore the provision in SB 1315 on the Filipino Veterans, the full recognition and benefits for the last surviving veterans, for the widows and relatives of the Filipino World War II Veterans.
BAILOUT THE FILIPINO WORLD WAR II VETERANS< NOT THE CAPITALIST CROOKS! (tags)
Good news! The US Congress extended their sessions for the next two weeks because the bailout bill was defeated in the lower house. For us this will a new window of opportunity to pass the SB 1315 with recognition and restored benefits for our WWI veterans. The next two weeks Sept 30-OCT 10, 2008 WILL BE CRUCIAL because the joint Congress conference committee will decide how to reconcile the two disparate bills- SB 1315 and HR 6897 that gives nothing to the Filipino veterans.
Fight Racism, Struggle for Filipino Veterans Rights (tags)
The next two weeks SEPT 26-OCT 9, 2008 WILL BE CRUCIAL because the joint Congress conference committee will decide how to reconcile the two disparate bills- SB 1315 and HR 6897- the inequity bill that gives nothing to the Filipino veterans. For the latest news, the lower house has alloted $ 198 million for the benefits under the HB 6897 as a result of our actions. Are we contented with this? NO! A MILLION TIMES NO! The US Congress will bail out crooked and corrupt corporations with our money, they give pennies to our veterans? We say PASS 1315 and restore their benefits.
RP's Sorreta Must stop Being An Apologist for the US Congress (tags)
We, the Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) take exception and criticized the apologies of Philippine Embassy Charge d’ affaires Carlos Sorreta that after the passage of SB 1315 minus the Filipino provisions “that the quest for justice should not be divisive” In the first we ask who is dividing whom? This is the first time that all Filipino veterans groups, the community and all our allies are united against HB 6897 which is a quit claim bill and for SB 1315. The fact that SB 1315 passed the US Senate with a vote of 96-1 is a testament of that unity.
NO TO RACISM AND BIGOTRY (tags)
Yesterday, we came to San Francisco Office of Speaker Nancy Pelosi to protest and express our support to SB 1315 and opposition to HR 6897 of Congressman Bob Filner. HR 6897. As we protest, we heard that SB 1315 passed but take out all provisions pertaining to our veterans. This says the Congress does not recognize their war time services and do not give the same benefits as our American counterparts have. It is an insult to Filipino American community and the historical contributions of the Filipino people who lost one million lives in the war.
JFAV PICKET- RALLY. SEPT 22 in SF (tags)
JOIN OUR LAST PUSH TO PASS SB 1315 VERSION IN CONGRESS! JOIN THE JFAV PICKET- RALLY AT THE SAN FRANCISCO ( SPEAKER PELOSI'S DOWNTOWNOFFICE) PICKET-RALLY FOR RECOGNITION,JUSTICE AND EQUITY! September 22, 2008 12;00= 2:00 PM Speaker Nancy Pelosi District Office 450 Golden Gate Ave San Francisco, California, 94102
OPEN LETTER TO REP. MIKE HONDA, 15th District,CA (tags)
We are writing to you on the matter of the pending House version of SB 1315 pending at the House of Representatives. First, we would like to express our deep appreciation for championing the cause of Filipino World War II veterans. We are very thankful to you and the Congressional Asian Pacific Caucus that despite the grandstanding of Congressman Bob Filner, you are sincerely on our side. We would like to express our opposition to HR 6897 of Congressman Bob Filner which is a quit claim and an insult to our veterans and the Filipino American community. We want you to support the House version of SB 1315. Stay steadfast on the course- PASS THE House version of SB 1315 Now!
JFAV PURSUES PASSAGE OF THE HOUSE VERSION OF SB 1315, DISAPPOINTED WITH PELOSI (tags)
The Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) coordinator Arturo P. Garcia expressed this stand and say they are seriously disappointed with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congressman Bob Filner, head of the House of Representatives Veterans Committee who said that "S. 1315 is dead because the democrats do not have the 2/3 majority votes needed to pass it." JFAV also expressed disenchantment with the democrats when Filner further said, "Speaker Pelosi can crack the whip for the 40 or so Democrats holding out but she won't. She is concerned that their (40+ Reps) re-election bids will be affected by this vote. [Filner] does not agree but [he] does not have the whip.
AN OPEN LETTER TO SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI (tags)
We are writing to you on the matter of the pending House version of SB 1315 pending at the House of Representatives. We hold you, as the Speaker and the leader of the Democratic Party, responsible for not passing the bill in the house You have the responsibility to answer why the bill has not been discussed or have not been put into vote despite several promises. Time and excuses are running out. We demand that your office and all the members of the House of Representatives to act now and house version of S.B. 1315 now!
JUSTICE AND EQUITY NOW! (tags)
Different Filipino Veterans groups marked the 67th year Filipino soldiers conscription day or the USAFFE DAY, July 26, 1941 with festivities and protests. More than 15 veterans and community leaders of Southern California. In a symbolic protest-- signed an open letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi demanding the passage of the SB 1315 version in the house that has been languishing in the US Congress for more than 18 years. In a community forum sponsored by the Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) held at SIPA on July 25, 2008, they declared: “ We hold you as a the speaker and the leader of the Democratic Party responsible for not passing the bill in the house. You have the responsibility to answer why the bill has not been discussed or have not been put into a vote despite several promises.” The Filipino leaders demand that the SB 1315 version in the house be passed before the US Congress recess on August 31.
PASS THE EQUITY BILL NOW! (tags)
The SB 1315 is being discussed in the Senate today. Good news- the senate has just voted in favor of moving forward to a floor debate on SB `1315 by a vote of 94-0 . But our work just begun. The senate will spend the next 30 hours to debate this bill.