WASHINGTON –This year, Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) has renewed hopes for his family reunification bill for Filipino World War II veterans. In the 110th US Congress, the veterans’ supporters–Senator Akaka and Congressman Bob Filner (D-CA)–will assume chairmanship of the committee on veterans affairs in their respective chambers.

Akaka is the author of the family reunification legislation. Originally, as an amendment to the comprehensive immigration reform bill, it passed unanimously in the Senate on May 18 last year. But it was not included in the final immigration bill that focused on border security. Akaka re-filed it as a stand-alone bill during the lame duck session of the Republican-controlled109th US Congress last month, to no avail. He has said he “would re-file the bill in the 110th US Congress,” which began January 4.

Akaka renewed his commitment during the December 6-7 Veterans National Planning Conference held at the Philippine embassy here. Akaka and Filner exuded confidence at the gathering. (In latest news, Democrats are expected to retain control of the US Congress, with Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD) said to be improving after undergoing brain surgery last month.)

Some 8,000 US-based Filipino World War II Veterans, many of them in their 80s, yearn to be joined by their children from the Philippines . The average wait for Filipinos to obtain a visa is 20 years. Asian American Justice Center Executive Director Karen Narasaki, an advocate of a fast tracked bill for Filipino siblings, has described this waiting period as “unconscionable.” Akaka’s bill, if it passes, would mean veterans’ children could enter the US this year. Those with approved petitions could do so within months.

Commented Los Angeles veteran Franco Arcebal, vice president of the American Coalition for Filipino Veterans, at the conference: “In his remarks, Senator Akaka focused on his support for family reunification.” Arcebal added he’d like to see the bill pass “because I’m already old and would like to see my children again.”

            Since the 1990s, Akaka, with Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI), has authored several benefits bills. Filipino American WWII veteran Guillermo O. Rumingan said, “I have only the highest esteem for them. Isn’t it interesting that our two champions in the US Congress are of Japanese ancestry?”

At the conference, Akaka renewed his support for veterans equity.  “I will continue to do everything within my power to help Filipino World War II Veterans gain the equity that they so richly deserve,” he said. The equity bill would grant monthly pension to nonservice-connected (no combat-related disability) veterans–those in the US and about 18,000 in the Philippines . With the war against the Japanese won in 1946, pension was stopped when the 79th US Congress passed the Rescission Act of 1946. This Act, now part of the US Code, retained monthly compensation only for service-connected veterans.

The conference was called by Philippine Ambassador to the US Willy C. Gaa and the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), led by Alma Q. Kern. Gaa said maybe in 2007, there was a good chance “of having two (veterans) bills passed.”