Gold Medal For Filipino Vets?

The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved legislation that now heads to the president for his signature.

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The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday unanimously passed the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act.

The measure now heads to the White House for its likely approval. The bill passed the Senate in June.

Sponsored by Sen. Mazie Hirono and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, both Democrats, the legislation recognizes Filipino soldiers who fought under U.S. command during World War II.

“Today’s House passage is the culmination of decades of work by these veterans and their families to recognize their key role in the Allied victory, and their decades-long fight for benefits.” Hirono said in a press release.

Said Gabbard, “Today, the United States Congress took an historic step forward in honoring the more than 200,000 Filipino and Filipino-American soldiers that served our country during World War II.” 

She added, “Our Filipino WWII veterans have waited decades for this recognition alongside units like the Tuskegee Airmen and Hawaii’s own 442nd/100th Infantry Battalion with the Congressional Gold Medal — our nation’s highest civilian honor. With just 18,000 of these Filipino World War II veterans still alive today, we cannot afford to wait any longer.”

Sen. Brian Schatz and Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, the other Democrats of Hawaii, also voted in favor of the bill.

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