ACT NOW FOR FILIPINO VETERANS EQUITY

JFAV Weeks of Action

WE MUST ACT NOW!

Dear Friends and veterans advocates:



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!

While 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 Section 4 for Filipino veterans and trash HB 6897 ( Filner's Folly) - the quit claim bill!



To keep up the pressure for our veterans.

OUR ACTIONS MUST BE:

1. Write, email or fax and ask House Speaker Nancy PELOSI and Senate Majority leader Harry REID to form the Senate-House Conference committee ASAP to pass S. 1315 bill with the Filipino veterans equity benefits!

address it to www.house.gov or www.senate.gov -or-

202-224-3121 - Capitol switchboard (Ask to be connected to your Senator & Congressman!)



Sample message:

Dear Honorable House Speaker Nancy Pelosi/Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid:

I respectfully urge you to form a joint Senate-House Conference Committee meeting to resolve the disparate bills passed in congress - S. 1315 and HR 6897. After giving more than 67 years to service and struggle, the Filipino veterans deserve the Filipino veterans equity benefits of S. 1315 and not the quit claim bill of HR 6897. Please give the honor they rightfully deserve.

Sincerely,

your NAME &

Address



2. Write, email, of fax Sen. Burr and colleagues to NOT TO OPPOSE and support the formation of Conference Committee on S.1315) LOBBY Burr by North Carolina Fil-Ams, veteran leaders and supporters.



* E-mail Burr's two legislative aides:

Sen. Richard Burr VA legislative aides:

kevin_hernandez@burr.senate.gov

mindi_walker@vetaff.senate.gov



SAMPLE e-mail: (Be polite!)

"Dear Senator Burr:

Respectfully, as a friend of veterans ____, I request you do not obstruct the final passage of S.1315 bill that you voted for in April. We also request you form the Senate-House conference committee and solve the Filipino veterans equity issue with Sen. Akaka. There are less than 18,000 Filipino WWII veterans left who honorably served America. They deserve recognition and modest equity pensions.

Sincerely yours,

___name &

____address"



* Ask Burr's Republican colleagues like:

Elizabeth Dole (NC Bob's wife) c/o

eric_zulkosky@dole.senate.gov

John McCain (AZ S.1315 supporter)

adam_barker@mccain.senate.gov

John Warner (VA-WW2vet)

sam_zega@warner.senate.gov

and YOUR 2 SENATORS

www.senate.gov



Sample e-mail message: (Be polite!)

"Dear Senator Dole (senator name):

Please request your colleague Sen. Richard Burr to honor the near unanimous decision of the full Senate (96 to 1 vote) on S. 1315 bill. There are less than 18,000 Filipino veterans left who honorably served America in WWII. They deserve recognition and VA equitable pensions. Approve S. 1315 conference committee final language.

Sincerely yours,

___name &

____address"





We must raise the level of our struggle against these blatant act of naked deception and racism by the US Congress. We will settle for no less than the recognition of the war time services of our Filipino veterans- in the SB 1315!

PASS SB 1315 with restored benefits for our veterans!



MAKIBAKA, HUWAG MATAKOT1

JFAV

Steering Committee

Sept. 28, 2008