{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/house-of-representatives-unanimously-approves-hirono-gabbard-bill-to-award-filipino-veterans-congressional-gold-medal", "House of Representatives Unanimously Approves Hirono-Gabbard Bill to Award Filipino Veterans Congressional Gold Medal", "2016-11-30", "2016", "2016-11", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Mazie Hirono", "H001042", "www.hirono.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "House of Representatives Unanimously Approves Hirono-Gabbard Bill to Award Filipino Veterans Congressional Gold Medal\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tProvides Long Overdue Recognition to Filipino World War II Veterans\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, November 30, 2016\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tThe House of Representatives unanimously passed the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act (S.1555), sponsored by Senator Mazie K. Hirono and Representative Tulsi Gabbard. The U.S. Senate unanimously passed the bill in July, which recognizes Filipino soldiers who fought under U.S. command during World War II.\r\n\u201cFor months, we have said that time is running out to recognize Filipino World War II veterans for their brave service,\u201d said Senator Hirono. \u201cToday\u2019s House passage is the culmination\u00a0of 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.\u201d\r\n\u201cToday, 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. With unanimous support from the United State Congress, our bill now heads to the President\u2019s desk,\u201d said Representative Gabbard. \u201cOur Filipino WWII veterans have waited decades for this recognition alongside units like the Tuskegee Airmen and Hawaii\u2019s own 442nd/100th Infantry Battalion with the Congressional Gold Medal\u2014our nation\u2019s highest civilian honor. With just 18,000 of these Filipino World War II veterans still alive today, we cannot afford to wait any longer. I urge the President to sign this bill into law before the year\u2019s end, and honor our veterans with this long-overdue recognition.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\u201cToday is truly a great day, a significant seminal period in American history \u2013 second only to the liberation of the Philippines and surrender of the Japanese Imperial Forces on August 15, 1945,\u201d says Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba (Ret), chairman of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP). \u201cNow we can tell our veterans with pride in our hearts that this grateful nation has, at last, granted them recognition for the selfless sacrifice they endured in war, and restored their dignity and honor in service to their nation.\u201d\r\n\u201cFor the hundreds of thousands of Filipino and Filipino American veterans who fought courageously for our country, we celebrate Congress' passage of the Congressional Gold Medal Act and look forward to President Obama signing this legislation,\u201d said National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) National Director Christopher Kang. \u201cWe thank Senator Hirono and Representative Gabbard for their long-time leadership in recognizing our heroes. The passage of this law is significant in showing our immense gratitude for the men and women who made great sacrifices to serve our country, and awarding the highest civilian honor will ensure that history will always remember them.\u201d\r\n\u201cSenator Mazie Hirono and Representative Tulsi Gabbard have been instrumental in getting the Congressional Gold Medal for the World War II Filipino veterans,\u201d said Ben Acohido, Service Officer, VFW Post 1572 1st Filipino Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army, Veterans of Foreign Wars-Hawaii Chapter. \u201cSenator Hirono and Representative Gabbard\u2019s leadership is appreciated in finally getting the recognition for the veterans nearly 75 years after the attack on Pearl Harbor and Manila.\u201d\r\nS.1555, the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act, awards the medal collectively to the over 260,000 Filipino and Filipino-American soldiers who responded to President Roosevelt\u2019s call-to-duty and fought under the American flag during World War II. The bill now heads to the President for his signature.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/house-of-representatives-unanimously-approves-hirono-gabbard-bill-to-award-filipino-veterans-congressional-gold-medal"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.047623809427023, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}