Media Advisory

Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV)

September 19, 2008

Los Angeles

House Version of SB 1315 still has hopes of passing

Los Angeles – The Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) and the American Coalition for Filipino Veterans (ACFV) and other veterans advocates have rejected the Filner proposal- HR 6897 confident that S-1315 still has a chance of passing.

“1315 is alive and well,” stressed Eric Lachica, executive director of the American Coalition of Filipino Veterans.

“ The house version of SB 1315 still can pass,” says Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) leader Arturo P.Garcia said: “ If the democrats will do their job, they can pass it. We do not want the Filner’s quitclaim bill. Let our voices be heard loud and clear.”

“Speaker Pelosi has to act, she has to show leadership,” he stressed, “Chairman Filner has to broker a deal with the Speaker and Chet Edwards. So ‘yon lang ang simple formula. We’re focused on those three people.”

“This election is payback time. We will act according to their record in delivering this bill to us. There are 4.5 million Filipinos in America and that’s a large count for them to rely on to get voted into office. Pelosi and Filner should watch out.” Garcia exclaimed.





“We looked at the legislative procedures and the politics behind the scene to make it happen. Kung mapasa ng House in whatever form S-1315 is voted upon, it will be fixed in the conference committee,” Lachica explained.

The Senate voted 96-1 to approve S-1315 last April. It was the farthest the Filipino veterans equity bill has ever gone. The bill aims to reverse the 1946 Rescission Act that stripped Filipino soldiers who served under the US Armed Forces during World War II of their veteran status.

“We are urging all our San Francisco (Pelosi’s congressional district) area leaders to focus on Pelosi to get S-1315 scheduled for a vote,” Lachica said.

“We’ve also asked our southern California leaders to prevail on Chairman Filner to talk to the Speaker to have it scheduled,” he added.

The bill’s supporters have tapped friends like Rep. Mike Honda (15th district, California) and Pelosi’s assistant Rep. Xavier Becerra (31st district, California) to serve as go-betweens for the Speaker and Filner.

For more information call Al P. Garcia at (213)241-0995 or email at jfav_causa@yahoo.com