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Washington, DC – Today, Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) applaud the passage of H.R. 1595, the Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act, introduced by Rep. Madeleine Z. Bordallo (GU-D). H.R. 1595 implements the recommendations of the Guam War Claims Review Commission, which reviews war claims related to the Japanese occupation during World War II. The review commission was mandated to determine whether there was uniformity in the war claims paid to the residents of Guam under the Guam Meritorious Claims Act, as compared with awards made to similarly affected individuals in other territories occupied by the Imperial Japanese military forces during World War II. Further, the review commission was mandated to advise on whether any additional compensation is necessary to compensate the people of Guam for death, personal injury, forced labor, forced displacement, and internment during World War II.
Rep. Mike Honda (CA-15): "The struggle for fair compensation for the people of Guam has been on going for more than 60 years," said Rep. Honda (CA-15), Chair of CAPAC. "There are very few of the estimated 22,000 Guamanians alive today who survived this era. Today’s passage of H.R. 1595 is long overdue and will finally give these brave Americans closure after suffering the atrocities of World War II."
Rep. Madeleine Z. Bordallo (GU-D): "The Guam War Claims Review Commission, appointed by then-U.S. Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton, determined that the people of Guam, who were occupied in WWII, did not have parity in the claims programs authorized for all other Americans after the war," said Rep. Bordallo (GU-D), Secretary of CAPAC. "The people of Guam have waited 63 years to correct this injustice and to bring closure to this very important issue. I thank Chairman Honda and Vice Chairman Faleomavaega for their continued support of H.R. 1595, and the rest of my colleagues – on both sides of the aisle - who voted in favor of equal treatment for the brave and loyal Chamorros who suffered unspeakable atrocities during the war."
Rep. Eni Faleomavaega (AS-D): "The Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act restores justice and provides closure to the people of Guam who have waited for over 60 years for our great nation to fully address the damage to their Territory as a result of their occupation by Japanese forces in World War II," said Rep. Faleomavaega (AS-D), Vice Chair of CAPAC. "This legislation is vitally important because it addresses long-standing inequities suffered by the people of Guam by implementing the recommendations of the Guam War Claims Review Commission and providing parity in the settlement of these outstanding claims." |
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