"In societies where Robbing Hoods are treated like a celebrity it is but natural to expect political parties to act like a Mafia syndicate" Political Jaywalker "In a nation where corruption is endemic people tend to confuse due process with aiding and abetting criminals" Political Jaywalker "War doesn't determine who is right, war determines who is left" Bertrand Russell "You have just one flash flood of money, you keep your people poor. It's like a time bomb and it's scary" Philippine Lawmaker

Gloria Arroyo's Squandering Habits

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is slated for a US visit and it will be good to revisit her spending habits as reported by Malou Mangahas of PCIJ that saw print at Philippine Star. I am reprinting the whole article, hopefully the "welcoming committee" are able to ask her about this.
***************************************************************

Arroyo’s spending spree: Travel, ‘donations’ top Palace expenses


In 2007, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s presidency spent a total of P249.5 million to pay the salaries and wages of its regular employees, and P10.7 million to pay casual and contractual employees.

Combined, that means P260.2 million to pay the rank and file of the Office of the President and 58 other executive offices, agencies, commissions, and committees under Mrs. Arroyo.

But in the same year, Mrs. Arroyo spent more than double that amount for her foreign and domestic travels, which totaled P588.5 million and P34.1 million, respectively, according to the Commission on Audit’s report on the 2007 financial transactions of Malacañang.

In fact, she spent much more – P618.6 million – in “donations” to yet unknown beneficiaries, the COA report revealed.

Malacañang, the COA report showed, spent similarly big amounts for broad, discretionary, and seemingly identical accounts, including:

• “Confidential expenses,” P149 million;

• “Consultancy services,” P59.6 million;

• “Representation expenses,” P56.8 million;

• “Representation allowance,” P14.5 million;

• “Other bonuses and allowance,” P28.8 million;

• “Transportation allowance,” P10.3 million;

• “Advertising expenses,” P6.9 million;

• “Additional compensation (ADCOM),” P24.8 million;

• “Extraordinary expenses,” P6.64 million;

• “Miscellaneous expenses,” P5.4 million;

• “Other personnel benefits,” P119.8 million; and

• “Subsidy to Regional Offices/Staff Bureaus/Branch Offices,” P46.6 million.

The COA report showed that apart from these amounts, the Office of the President had paid out in 2007 P21 million in “yearend bonus,” P7.1 million in “cash gift,” and P651,000 in “honoraria.”

The President was also revealed to have kept a high-maintenance household, which may be in keeping with her role as chief executive and fount of power in the land. Yet the COA report showed that what Malacañang spends on the usual costs like food, communication, utilities, office and other supplies, gasoline, security, among others, could cause taxpayers sleepless nights.

For her 2007 foreign travel alone, Arroyo spent an average of P49.04 million per month. In addition, she spent P2.84 million on local travel per month. Combined, that means a monthly bill of P51.8 million for the peripatetic president.

By most expense entries enrolled in the COA report, Arroyo’s official household is hardly a pauper’s palace. Malacañang spends like it is a real profligate’s paradise. In 2007, the presidency billed the following expenses to taxpayers:

• Food supplies expenses, P55.7 million or P4.6 million a month;

• Electricity, P54.5 million or an average of P4.5 million a month;

• Gasoline, oil and lubricants, P27.9 million or P2.3 million a month;

• Water, P25.4 million or P2.1 million a month;

• Security services, P13 million or P1.08 million a month;

• Janitorial services, P4.8 million or P400,000 a month;

• Telephone, landline, P13.5 million or P1.1 million a month;

• Telephone, mobile, P9.07 million or P755,000 a month;

• Office supplies, P13.5 million or P1.1 million a month;

• “Other supplies,” P19.4 million or P1.6 million a month;

• Subscription expenses, P1.04 million or P86,000 a month;

• Cooking gas, P892,000 or P74,000 a month

• Internet, P332,597 or P27,716 a month; and

• Cable, satellite, telegraph and radio, P300,955 or P25,079 a month.

Arroyo’s household disbursed more millions for “repair and maintenance” expenses, including P94.89 million for aircraft and aircraft ground equipment; P7.1 million for motor vehicles; P4.2 million for furniture and fixtures; P1.02 million for office equipment; and P1.09 million for other machinery and equipment.

In contrast to the millions splurged on these expenses, the presidency scrimped on other seemingly important expense items.

For instance, it disbursed only P433,915 for the whole of 2007 in “training expenses,” and reported zero spending on “textbooks and instructional materials,” “storage expenses,” “military and police supplies,” “medical, dental and laboratory supplies,” “awards and indemnities,” and “hazard pay.” – Malou Mangahas, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism.

Subscribe in a reader
Pedestrian Observer Group Blog
Click on the images to receive your free email updates

GMA to visit the United States 23-29 June 2008

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY
NEWS RELEASE
29/MAY/08

Visit of HE President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to the United States of America, 23-29 June 2008

Office of the Press Secretary, Malacanang


President Arroyo will be in Washington DC and New York City on 23-29 June 2008 to meet with key US government officials and members of Congress, Filipino World War II veterans, the leaders and members of the Filipino American Community, business people, investors and environmental groups.

In Washington, President Bush will welcome President Arroyo to the White House for discussions on issues of great interest to the Philippines and the United States, particularly on ways to further strengthening our long standing and historic bilateral relations. President Arroyo hopes to exchange views with President Bush on a broad range of issues, including food security, protection of the environment, the Philippine Defense Reform program, counterterrorism, non-proliferation, ASEAN's community building, human rights, Myanmar, global trade. President Arroyo will also thank President Bush for the support given to Filipino World War II veterans through the US Veterans Office in Manila and the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City. President Arroyo will also express her hope for a meaningful resolution to remaining issues relating to our veterans.

One of the objectives of the President in visiting Washington is to personally thank the US Senate for its historic vote of 96-1 in favor of the Veterans Benefits Bill. The President will also meet with the Philippines-US Friendship Caucus, a group which is composed of Members of the House of Representatives particularly interested in strengthening relations between the Philippines and the United States.

The President will also meet with other US Cabinet officials. While in Washington, she will hold consultations with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). Last March, the MCC granted the Philippines Compact Eligible status, opening the doors to large grants for sustainable growth. The Philippines was selected after passing objective indicators in the areas of governing justly, investing in citizens, and encouraging economic freedom.

The President will also advance her environmental agenda while in Washington, including a special meeting of stakeholders in the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI). This meeting will bring the private and business sectors into this important initiative on the environment. The CTI is focused on three primary areas: 1) protecting coral reefs from man-made and natural disturbances, 2) developing sustainable fisheries, and 3) ensuring food security for the region's inhabitants.

The ASEAN-US Business Council and the United States Chamber of Commerce will jointly host a dinner in honor of President Arroyo in Washington.

In New York, President Arroyo will meet with a number of business and investment groups. President Arroyo will also host a reception for the Permanent Representatives of the United Nations in connection with the candidature of Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago to the International Court of Justice.


Subscribe in a reader
Pedestrian Observer Group Blog
Click on the images to receive your free email updates

A hopeful turn in Filipino veterans' quest for equity

Many thanks, Commissioner Baldonado, for getting out this statement. May I highlight the last of its three Talking Points, which states: "VEC supports SB 1315 and will continue to work with veterans advocates for its passage. In doing so, it will not abandon its advocacy for full equity."

However, I'm worried that the said VEC statement also mentions a letter that you supposedly sent to Speaker Pelosi requesting "that a comparable bill to SB 1315 be introduced and heard as soon as possible." Hopefully this is only a matter of semantics and doesn't actually mean to confuse the issue about the need for early passage of the veterans' bill in the House that is subject of all these discussions. Needless to state, VEC's full support would be pivotal in this regard and, subsequently, that of the president's signature.

Mabuhay kayo and the other supporters and friends of our veterans.

d. grava

In a message dated 5/26/2008 7:23:23 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, JoyBruce@aol.com writes:

Speaker Pelosi needs to hear from advocates from all over the country. Urge her to keep this a high priority (people outside of S.F. should send messages to D.C. office at (202) 225-4965 (Washington, DC) or email your letterr to http://speaker.house.gov/contact/

It only takes a few minutes to copy, paste and send the following letter to your representatives (feel free to edit). PLEASE HELP US MAKE IT HAPPEN! Numbers always count. This is the time for our voices to be heard.

I have included the email contact information for the various congresspersons, so that you can also EMAIL IN ADDITION TO FAXING the letter to their respective offices. Please copy and paste to your browser the contact information, to reach your representatives.

https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml will assist you by identifying your Congressperson in the U.S. House of Representatives and providing contact information.

Dear Representative _______________________

On April 24, the Senate passed S. 1315 by the overwhelming bipartisan vote of 96-1, and it is time for the House to follow suit This bill includes provisions to restore US veteran status for Filipinos and provide them with the resources they need to live out the remainder of their lives with the honor and dignity their service to this country in World War II deserves. Nationals from more than 60 other countries who also served under
U.S. command received U.S. veteran status- Filipinos were singled out for discriminatory treatment. Out of the original 250,000 Filipino soldiers originally called to serve, there are only 18,000 veterans left, and the time is now to rectify the 62-year injustice done to these few brave soldiers who remain.

Time is running out for this bill, and we strongly urge your leadership on this important issue. This bill is of UTMOST IMPORTANCE to our community and we call on you to support this bill in its current form and to vote for it when it comes to a floor vote. We strongly urge you to oppose any efforts to weaken the provisions of the bill.

Memorial Day is a time when we commemorate the service of all veterans and there is no better way to make sure we treat ALL veterans with the dignity and honor their service deserves. Our aging, frail Veterans on the blink of extinction, had served in WWII under the American Flag, and are still seeking recognition of their services,. Denying our soldiers the benefits promised to them is unconscionable. This is no way to meet that commitment, not to mention the wrong message to send to soldiers deployed in the battlefield who had sacrificed and risked their lives for the sake of freedom and justice. Please do not make a grave mistake in the name of fairness, equality, or even fiscal responsibility. Please do what is right, and support the "Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act", S 1315.

Thank you for your time.


Sincerely,
YOUR
NAME
City
, State and ZipCode

In a message dated 5/18/2008 9:56:36 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, nestor143@comcast.net writes:

As in the past, the Jewish War Veterans supports passage of the "Filipino Veterans Equity Act" (HR 760). Chairman Bob Filner introduced this bill last year, following the introduction of the Senate companion by Senator Daniel Inouye. This important legislation would restore all the benefits that were promised to Filipino World War II veterans only to be rescinded by the 1946 Congress. The bill had hearings in February and April, and both the House Veterans Affairs Committee and the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee reported the bill out of committee during the summer. Currently, the bill is awaiting floor votes in both houses (senate approves 2 weeks ag0) Unfortunately, while the Congress waits, more of these brave soldiers pass on without official recognition of their selfless service to the during World War II. Out of the approximately 200,000 Filipinos who had been called to serve, only 18,000 remain. These men were drafted into service by President Roosevelt as nationals and stood shoulder to shoulder with soldiers from the in some of the most grueling battles of the war, including the infamous Bataan Death March.

In a message dated 5/26/2008 9:29:44 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, Dcgrava@aol.com writes:

Serious charges are being hurled against the persons of Regalado Baldonado and the VEC people headed by Atty. Lourdes Tancinco. I think it is to their best interest that they present their respective sides on this issue. If it is true that they have in effect sabotaged prospects for the passage of S. 1315, may we ask them to explain why? If it is mainly a case of amor propio -- they reportedly have been pushing for an all-or-nothing scenario -- may we request that at this juncture, please, please reconsider their position on behalf of our aging, ailing veterans. We are all aware that only few of our veterans are around to enjoy whatever benefit, if any, that may be forthcoming. They are such of advanced age that everyday many are dying and those that are still around are making do with very meager existence. You must be aware that most of them are in penury, lumped in a single rental room in order to economize and there are even those who sell their blood in order to subsist. Maawa naman tayo, please. Anyway, if subject bill passes, that would not be the end of everything. We can still advocate for additional benefits later. The important thing is that their situation can be alleviated soonest. The luxury of dreaming for a possible better deal in the future may be alright but what is of paramount importance is NOW.

Dionesio Grava



Subscribe in a reader
Pedestrian Observer Group Blog
Click on the images to receive your free email updates

Winning is not everything

We watched the NBA Western conference finals game 4 in the best of 7 series between Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs and came out inspired and appreciated the real meaning of sportsmanship.

While winning is the goal and the sweetest reward for a ball club and their fans the demeanor of the losing team particularly Brent Barry and their Coach Greg Popovich showed real class and dignified demeanor of an athletic warrior unwilling to feed the frenzy of the press to make a controversy on the outcome of their loss.

In the last 2.1 seconds of the play with the spurs in possession Barry faked Derek Fisher in the air, and then crouched under him while Fisher came down bumping his shoulder. No foul was called, Barry eased his way for a difficult three pointer missing the shot and the clock expired, Lakers took the game with a 3-1 lead.

After the game Barry was asked by Craig Sager if this could have been a defining moment for him as a player, he answered back that one single game does not make a career. As we watched Barry we were blown away by his demeanor looking in instead of giving excuses and acknowledging their failure to execute the plays unable to climb the hump instead of making excuses.

At the press conference when Coach Greg Popovich was asked about the last play between Fisher and Barry, his response was astonishing to say the least and asked in what respect since they were all there seeing the same thing. To quote Popovich:

I thought it was a proper no-call, from what I just saw" said Popovich, having reviewed the video. If I was the official, I wouldn't have called a foul.


You can sense the deafening silence, he could have played into it but choose not to do, now that is what makes this game so wonderful. How I wish that the Filipino politicians can only see this and learn from these professionals how to conduct themselves then we are probably on our way out of the quagmire they sank Philippine society. If only they can learn from this, on what respect is all about then we are halfway to ridding the nation of the kind of respect that is actually of the feudal authoritarian kind. If only the world politics is like a sports played like this and the demeanor of leaders like those shown by Barry and Popovich then we can probably make this world a better a place to live in.


Subscribe in a reader
Pedestrian Observer Group Blog
Click on the images to receive your free email updates

America pauses to honor its heroes

Text/photos by D. Grava


In a world largely overtaken by pragmatism and the pursuit of tangibles, one is often prompted to ask: Are heroes still relevant? What is it that motivates people to respond unhesitatingly to the call of duty?

Los Angeles Councilman Richard Alarcon, a former member of both the California Assembly and Senate, put it this way: "Would we dive on an exploding grenade to save a friend?" We hope we don't have to be confronted with that life-threatening decision, the city official said, but, yes, many still would do that. There are still among us who would sacrifice "to give us a reason to write a speech, to upgrade our way of life, and for the realization of dreams and future successes."

Alarcon was paying tribute to a native son during an 11 a.m. Memorial Day service at the San Fernando Pioneer Memorial Cemetery in Sylmar that included a flag rising and rifle salute by the All Veterans Burial Squad. It also featured the laying of a brick paving engraved with the words "Brave of Heart Rowan D. Walter Iraq War Hero 2/23/04." Walter died in the battlefield when he threw his body over an exploding grenade to save fellow soldiers.

An hour past noon in Forest Lawn-Glendale, another hero was in focus. Col. Roger H. C. Donlon, while still a Green Beret captain, won the first Medal of Honor in the Vietnam War. Glendale Mayor John Drayman read the President Bush proclamation of Memorial Day and Civil War reenactors from the 100th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry-Company K followed with a firing of their muskets.

It is a sobering thought that even as we reminisce and undertake the yearly rites of honoring our gallant dead, we continue to bury fresh casualties of ongoing conflicts. The unfortunate, painful reality of war that have killed more than 4,000 Americans in the Iraq and Afghanistan fronts is a continuing legacy that have seen more than 10,000 casualties on June 6, 1944 trying to breach the Nazi beachhead during Operation Overlord, the thousands of deaths in the Pacific and other segments of WWII, and millions of others who died or were wounded during America's involvement in WWI, the Korean and Vietnam conflicts, and other such bloody engagements in the past.

It is said that America was forged in blood and tears and today Americans continue to bear the heavy burden of financing and dying in conflicts elsewhere in the world. One often wonders how a country that invest so much on its youth could bear to send the same youth to undertake the extreme hardships and risk the uncertainties inherent with armed hostilities.

On the other hand America's leadership role in the democratic world in effect tremendously burdened it with the cross of moral ascendancy to oversee a tumultuous world. It may be that this country is under no obligation to impose its gospel of righteousness to other people and nations. But, in the words of Councilman Alarcon, ours is not a perfect world and someone has to shoulder the thankless job of making sure that there will be less Auschwitzes and Buchenwalds and Rwandas on planet earth now and in the future.

SALUTE TO HEROES: John S. Arroyo, a war veteran, renders a salute as LA Councilman Richard Alarcon reads a tribute to local heroes.

GLENDALE EVENT: The Richmond Howitzers Unit did a couple of salvos while bagpipers in kilts prepare to perform. Below, Medal of Honor holder Col. Roger Donlon and uniformed reenactors lay a wreath at the burial site of a Civil War soldier.

MEMORIALIZING AN ACT OF COURAGE: Hailey Cohen, right, prepares to insert a brick paver memorializing her brother Rowan Walter who died in Iraq while shielding with his body fellow soldiers from an exploding grenade.
REMEMBERING, HONORING: Red roses embellish a marker at the McCambridge Park War Memorial in Burbank as locals prepare for the yearly ceremony. Similar events were held at the Moorpark Veterans Memorial and at the Veterans Memorial Grove, Moorpark; at Glendale-Montrose-Crescenta Valley Veterans Memorial in Montrose; at the Lancaster Cemetery in the Antelope Valley; at the Los Angeles National Cemetery, Westwood; at Valley Oaks Memorial Park, Westlake Village; at Desert Lawn Memorial Park, Palmdale; at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Simi Valley. Also held was a commemorative concert at Conejo Community Park, Thousand Oaks, and a parade with military flyovers, color guards, marching bands, equestrians and others in Canoga with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa as grand marshal.

INSPIRATION: This fixture at the Santa Monica Beach, the so-called Arlington of the West, brings recollection of a verse learned long ago -- apt for a tribute to those brave men and women who perished that we may live in freedom and liberty.:
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

-- From "In Flanders Fields"

By John McCrae (1872-1918)


Subscribe in a reader
Pedestrian Observer Group Blog
Click on the images to receive your free email updates

Group opposes RP vets, thinks money will be taken away from US veterans

In a message dated 5/27/2008 10:28:41 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, dale98@tampabay.rr.com writes:

This is not hate mail about the Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2007. This is about the U. S. VETERANS AND SURVIVING SPOUSES BEING PUT BEFORE ANYONE ELSE WITHOUT QUESTION.

Pass along from: Norm Campbell.

Norm does his homework, especially on subjects that he believes in so strongly, as I do on this. Thanks Norm.

I thought about this for a long, long time last night, the more I thought of it the angrier I got. My husband (deceased) was declared "housebound" by the VA, he also recieved Special Monthly Compensation, for additional disabilities, along with the fact that I draw Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) from the VA. Norm refers to DIC in his statement. So you see, I understand the facts that are stated in "U.S. House of Representatives to Debate a $1 Billion Cut in Wartime Elderly, Poor, Disabled Veterans' Benefits", very well.

Re: "U.S. House of Representatives to Debate a $1 Billion Cut in Wartime Elderly, Poor, Disabled Veterans' Benefits"

Excerpt: "Please let me know what you think of this cut of nearly $1 billion in benefits from veterans who most need our support by calling (202) 225-3527." (See original e-mail, in it's entirety, below Norm's message.)

My phone call and a fax to my Rep. will go out today and I called the number listed above and voiced my opinion. I spoke to a gentleman named John. He asked that we please get the word out.

Jean D. Beard
Surviving Spouse of: Wiley M. Beard USAF (Ret.)

----- Original Message -----
From: Norman Campbell
To: MRGRG MS Talk ; MRGRG-NM@yahoogroups.com ; Jean D. Beard
Sent: Monday, May 26, 2008 12:36 PM
Subject: [mrgrg-ms-talk] Re: U.S. House of Representatives to Debate a $1 Billion Cut in Wartime Elderly, Poor, Disabled Veterans' Benefits

Jean et al, As you know I have opposed this from when it first was introduced in the House by Representative Filner (CA) last year. Here is my reasoning;

1. It is funded by money taken away from our own disabled veterans. Even if Congress determines these veterans should not have this extra money, it still is funded by taking money from the VA budget that in the long run is taking money away from every American veteran using the VA System. There are enough funding problems with the VA now without this.

2. No American veteran of WWII gets a pension, unless disabled, or serves for 20 or more years. Why give a pension to a foreign national when we don't give one to our own? I can see this as a possibility of opening the door to provide a pension to all American WWII veterans and could go along with it - but I don't trust Congress for several good reasons.

3. This is nothing but a "buying votes" effort on the part of Representative Filner - he has a large Filipino constituency.

4. Included in the bill is a reduced DIC provision to the widows of these Filipino veterans. Congress won't eliminate the SBP/DIC offset for our own widows because there "is no money." Yet here they find the money at the expense of our own veteran population to provide a foreign national widow with DIC payments. There's nothing so far this year in the NDAA to increase the miserly amount of this offset Congress authorized last year for our widows.

5. By standards in the Philippines, these pension to their veterans and widows will place them in the upper brackets of income while many of our own in comparable positions struggle in poverty.

6. Many do not know that the VA operates a clinic and benefits office in the Manila area for these veterans. This is all funded out of the VA budget. Here's an excerpt for the VA.

"The U. S. government provides veteran's benefits programs for certain Philippine nationals as well as veterans of the U. S. armed forces living in the Philippines.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has maintained a Regional Office in the Philippines since 1921. The Regional Office is located at 1131 Roxas Blvd. Manila 0930 in the U.S. Embassy Annex Building. Benefits counselors are available from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM Monday through Friday to answer veteran's benefits questions. Our toll free telephone number is 1-800 1-888 5252. 528-2500. In Metro Manila our direct line 528-2500. To send e-mail inquiries, visit our website at https://iris.va.gov/.

In addition to the Regional Office, VA operates a Clinic located at 2201 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City 1300. Clinic hours of operation are from 7:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. Medical care is limited to service connected disabilities only and includes out-patient care at the clinic and in-patient care at various contract hospitals. Prior authorization is required for non-emergency out-patient care and hospitalization. Persons having questions concerning eligibility for treatment should call 833-4566; Fax:(632)831-4454. To send e-mail inquiries, visit our website at https://iris.va.gov/."

7. My argument is that the US Government should take care of its own before taking care of foreign nationals. The list of inequities imposed upon us is so lengthy, starting with the broken healthcare promise, concurrent receipt for the under 50% disabled, elimination of the SBP/DIC offset and on and on and our fight to try to keep what we so justly earned. All of this and here we are fighting to stop increases in our healthcare while Congress finds money to support foreign nationals. It just doesn't make common sense.

Having said all this, I have nothing against the Filipino veteran and I do hope their own government will provide them all with pensions - it's their government's responsibility, not ours. I appreciate their efforts and sacrifices while clearing their own homeland of the Japanese. I landed at Nichols Field outside Manila on a runway of PSP when transferring from China to Tinian during WWII. I saw the devastation of Manila, once called the "Pearl of the Orient." Then it was all part of the war, but looking back it now, the suffering of the Filipinos was a tradgedy. But I can not forget the thousands of American GI's who fought there - if they are not disabled they get no pension from our government. It's a slap in the face by Congress to these old veterans if this bill passes.


Subscribe in a reader
Pedestrian Observer Group Blog
Click on the images to receive your free email updates

NAFFA Issues Another Call to Action on FilVets S.1315

Pres Candidate McCain & FilVets (22 May 2008, photo courtesy of Rudy Asercion)Despite the “all or nothing crowd” of detractors of S.1315 benefiting US veterans and FilVets the bill evidently has the Bipartisan support of Presidential nominee Republican Senator McCain, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others Senate and House leaders.

The Senate passed S.1315. The House was not able to act on S.1315 this week, but we expect S.1315 to be the priority for House action immediately after the week-long Memorial Day recess.Speaker Nancy Pelosi & FilVet Celestino Almeda, 91 (22 May 2008, photo courtesy of ACFV)

Congress will resume work on June 3. US Reps will be in their home states. NaFFA is appealing to all FilAms to use this week to contact their US Reps in their district offices and in community meetings where they may be present. NaFFA is further appealing to make sure that the FilVets benefits are included in the bill, see Call to Action on S.1315 in US Congress or this site for details on how you can contact your district representatives.

Photo courtesy of FilAm leader Rudy Asercion
Presidential Candidate McCain & FilVets
Speaker Nancy Pelosi & FilVet Celestino Almeda, 91

Subscribe in a reader
Pedestrian Observer Group Blog
Click on the images to receive your free email updates

Related Posts with Thumbnails