From: The Honorable Tulsi Gabbard
Sent By:
craig.shimizu@mail.house.gov
Bill: H.R. 2737
Date: 8/8/2016

HONOR FILIPINO WWII VETERANS WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL

SGT Jose Calugas of the US Army Philippine Scouts receives the Medal of Honor in 1945.

Dear Colleague,

I invite you to remember and honor the contribution of Filipino World War II Veterans by becoming a cosponsor of H.R. 2737, the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act. This measure awards the Congressional Gold Medal to Filipino WWII Veterans in appreciation for their dedicated service and sacrifice in defeating the Imperial Japanese Army.

Responding to President Roosevelt’s call to arms in July of 1941, over 200,000 Filipinos fought under the American flag as part of the United States Army Forces in the Far
East (USAFFE). These brave men served in units including the Philippine Scouts, the New Philippine Scouts, Philippine Constabulary, Philippine Commonwealth Army, and Recognized Guerilla Units. A change in the law in late 1941 allowed Filipinos living in the
United States to join the war effort as well, with many enlisting in the U.S. Army’s First and Second Filipino Infantry Regiments.

Thousands of loyal and valiant Filipino soldiers suffered, fought, and died alongside their American counterparts throughout the war. These Filipinos served out of national
pride and patriotism for their homeland, but in doing so, also defended and ultimately liberated sovereign territory held by the United States Government.

In recognition of their service and sacrifice, we ask for your support in awarding the Filipino WWII Veterans with the Congressional Gold Medal. This bill does not extend
money or benefits to these men, but rather the gratitude and appreciation of a grateful nation.

Only an estimated 18,000 of these veterans are still living in the United States and Philippines. In light of their advanced age, we ask that you act quickly so that
these courageous men may be honored while they are still with us.

To join as a cosponsor, or for additional information about the bill, please contact Craig Shimizu in Rep. Gabbard’s office at
Craig.Shimizu@mail.house.gov.

Sincerely,

TULSI GABBARD

Member of Congress

Current Cosponsors (195): Adams;
Aguilar; Amodei; Bass; Beatty; Becerra; Bera; Bishop; R.;
Bishop, S.; Bordallo; Boustany; Brady; Brat; Brown;
Brownley; Calvert; Capuano; Cardenas; Carson;
Castro; Chu; Clarke; Clawson; Clay; Coffman; Cole;
Connolly; Conyers; Costa; Crenshaw; Crowley;
Cuellar; Cummings; Davis; Delaney, J.;
DeLauro, R.; DelBene; Denham; DeSantis; DeSaulnier;
Deutch; Dingell; Doggett; Dold; Doyle; Duckworth;
Edwards; Ellison; Engel; Eshoo; Farr;
Fattah; Fitzpatrick; Fleischmann; Forbes; Foster; Franks; Garamendi; Gibson; Graves;
Grayson; Green, A.; Green, G.; Griffith;
Grijalva; Hahn; Hanna; Hardy; Hastings; Heck,
D.; Heck, J.; Herrera Beutler; Higgins; Hinojosa;
Honda; Hurd; Israel; Issa; Jackson; Johnson, E.;
Johnson, H.; Jones; Jordan; Joyce; Kaptur; Keating;
Kelly; Kennedy; Kildee; Kilmer; Kind; King;
Kirkpatrick; Kuster; Labrador; Lance; Langevin; Larsen;
Larson; Latta; Lawrence; Lee; Levin; Lewis;
Lieu; Lipinski; Lofgren; Love; Lowenthal;
Lowey; Maloney, C.; Maloney, S.; Matsui;
McCollum; McDermott; McGovern; McMorris Rodgers; McNerney;
Meeks; Meng; Miller; Moolenaar; Mooney; Moulton; Mullin;
Nadler; Napolitano; Newhouse; Norton; Nugent; O’Rourke; Olson; Palazzo;
Pallone; Palmer; Payne; Pearce; Perlmutter; Peters;
Peterson; Pierluisi; Pingree; Poe; Quigley; Radewagen;
Rangel; Reichert; Renacci; Rice; Richmond; Rigell; Roby; Roe; Rokita; Ross;
Roybal–Allard; Royce; Ruiz; Ruppersberger;
Rush; Ryan; Sablan; Salmon; Sanchez; Schakowsky;
Schiff; Scott; Serrano; Sherman; Simpson;
Sinema; Sires; Smith, A.; Smith, J.; Smith, L.; Speier;
Swalwell; Takai; Takano; Thompson, G.; Thompson, M.;
Titus; Tonko; Trott; Van Hollen; Vargas;
Veasey; Vela; Velazquez;Wagner; Walorski; Walz; Weber; Yoho; Zinke.

Supported by:
Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, AARP, Bataan Legacy Historical Society, OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates, Office of the Mayor of Washington D.C., National Federation of Filipino American Associations, San
Francisco Veterans Equity Center, National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, Philippine American Foundation for Charities, Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Washington D.C., Filipino American National Historical Society, American Defenders of
Bataan and Corregidor, League of United Latin American Citizens in San Antonio Texas, and Members of the Asian Pacific American Caucus of the California State Assembly.