WashingtonWatch.com - H.R. 1595, The Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act

Comment by Charles (May 20, 2008, 01:00:00)

Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Opposing comments aggrandizes the idiom Ignorance is Bliss.Critics possess Know-it-All uncultivated attitudes that camouflage racial undertones.Our Marine father died before the Japanese invasion.He left behind a Chamorro Guamanian wife with 11 children. Knowing the impending event, the US military evacuated all US citizens. We were left behind.My family was not considered U.S. citizens along with hundreds of children and wives of US military spouses who were hunted and tortured during the occupation.As Liberators returned, we were so elated that we discounted their incessant bombing of our homes, schools, and condemnation,for a mere pittance, 1/3 of Chamorro ancestral lands for military base buildup. We watched with grieving hearts as the US signed a treaty with Japan, pardoning them of any war retributions for survivors who continue to suffer post traumatic symptoms of a faultless war....

Comment by Elizabeth (May 20, 2008, 01:00:00)

Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT

For 40+ yrs,I listened intently to my parents' horrific experiences under the Japanese occupation of Guam. Forced labor,sex slavery, bayonet stabbing, beheading were commonplace during the four years. Chamorro lives perished as the Japanese suspected American sympathizers had secretly hid American solders. The US military evacuated its people but failed to protect the Chamorros who were blameless for the war. Guam was and still is a US territory. The people are US citizens, yet we were slighted. It is time the US provide some reparation for the Chamorro people whose loved ones were murdered during the occupation and whose homes were destroyed and/or taken away by the Liberators. Chamorros who survived will continue the nightmare....

Comment by Truth in History.... (October 25, 2007, 01:00:00)

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EDT

HISTORY for those who want to LINE pockets.. During WWII, Guam was attacked by Japan. Before the attack, most of the US citizens were transported from the island away from imminent danger. The Northern Mariana Islands had become a Japanese protectorate before the war....

Comment by Truth in History (October 25, 2007, 01:00:00)

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EDT

It was Chamorros from the Northern Marianas who were brought to Guam to serve as interpreters and in other capacities for the occupying Japanese force. The Guamanian Chamorros were treated as an occupied enemy by the Japanese military. After the war, this would cause some resentment by the Guamanian Chamorros towards the Chamorros in the Northern Marianas. Approximately a thousand people died during the occupation according to Congressional Testimony in 2004. The US returned and fought the Battle of Guam on July 21, 1944. After the war, the Guam Organic Act of 1950, which established Guam as an unincorporated organized territory of the United States, provided for the structure of the island's government, and granted the people United States citizenship....

Comment by Manny (October 5, 2007, 01:00:00)

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EDT

Guam was a part of America before the war - it has been American since 1898, about as long as Hawaii. I am certain there are memorials to Pearl Harbor - yet Guam is the only AMERICAN territory to have ever suffered through an OCCUPATION (death marches, concentration camps - Japanese style). You can bet there is money for Pearl Harbor or the Holocaust Memorial. Sept. 11 was an atrocity caused by a foreigners, yet no one would question money for victims of that tragedy. I agree that Japan should pay up - but I also believe that if this had happened in Hawaii (again, we've been part of America as long as Hawaii) or Idaho or wherever you are from, then there would be no question about funding to remember the sacrifice. (My great Uncle was a priest and had his throat slit by Japanese because they thought he was hiding an American radioman helping AMERICA win World War II - which was about the Pacific, in case you forget your history)....

Comment by S. Cruz (October 1, 2007, 01:00:00)

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EDT

My grandfather was deheaded in the War, my father and his siblings were raised without a father. I feel that the surviving siblings should be paid (by Japan), but that is the extent of it. Its like the Native Indians...please...its over, move on. I was raised not knowing grandparents but that is life and no one is to blame for it. Surely, NOT the US Government!Guam would of been taken by the Japs if it was not for the US helping out. I do not want money for the suffering that my ancestors endured. I work hard for the things I have and I am fine with that. Thank you to all the Veterans that fought in our Wars...you are the ones that should be getting paid for your troubles and ongoing memories....

Comment by CG on Guam (August 7, 2007, 01:00:00)

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 00:00:00 EDT

After spending the last three years listening to the locals here on Guam saying "YANKEE GO HOME..." and "GET THE MILITARY OUT OF HERE..." I can not understand how these people can ask this with a straight face. The NUMBER ONE industry here is JAPANESE TOURISTS == so does that not fly in the face of those "traumatized" by the Japanese. I feel for the people who WERE ACTUALLY involved... But you can not really claim to be traumatized by something that happened to your deceased family members - and yet at the same time make your money off of the Japanese. Is it not enough that we pay for Section 8 housing, Women Infants & Children, Quest (foodstamps), and so much more -- EVEN THOUGH GUAMANIANS DO NOT PAY FEDERAL INCOME TAXES... For those who do NOT know - we also sending them $$ to pay for road projects - that they use to bolster other programs at whim... Yeah - where America's day begins... Right... I would say ANOTHER HAND REACHING OUT......

Comment by Helo (August 7, 2007, 01:00:00)

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 00:00:00 EDT

Hey - I thought we the Citizens of the United States paid for this in the THE GUAM MERITORIOUS CLAIMS ACT OF 1945... Lots of people got money through that one....

Revision by webmaster (August 2, 2007, 01:00:00)

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 00:00:00 EDT

H.R. 1595 would implement the recommendations of the Guam War Claims Review Commission.

Detailed Summary

<b>(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on May 7, 2007. The summary of that version is repeated here.)</b>

Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act - (Sec. 2) Recognizes the great suffering and steadfast loyalty and courage of the people of Guam during the Japanese occupation of Guam in World War II.

(Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to make the following payments for Guam World War II claims: (1) spouses, children or parents of compensable Guam decedents would be eligible for $25,000; (2) compensable Guam victims who were raped or suffered severe personal injury would be eligible for $15,000, those who were subjected to forced labor or suffered personal injury would be eligible for $12,000, and those who were subjected to forced march, internment, or hiding to evade internment would be eligible for $10,000; and (3) eligible heirs of compensable decedents or compensable victims would be eligible for $7,000.

Requires payments to be made to living compensable Guam victims before survivor payments are made.

Defines "compensable Guam decedent" and "compensable Guam victim."

(Sec. 4) Authorizes the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission to adjudicate claims and determine payment eligibility.

Requires: (1) claims to be filed within one year after the Commission publishes public notice of the filing period in the Federal Register; and (2) the Commission to make filing period information available to the public through the media in Guam.

(Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a grant program for research, educational, and media activities that memorialize the events surrounding the occupation of Guam during World War II, honor the loyalty of the people of Guam during such occupation, or both.

(Sec. 6) Authorizes appropriations which shall remain available for obligation until September 30, 2012, for: (1) claims payments and adjudication; and (2) the World War II grants program.

Status of the Legislation

Latest Major Action: 5/9/2007: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Points in Favor

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Points Against

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Revision by webmaster (June 28, 2007, 01:00:00)

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:00:00 EDT

H.R. 1595 would implement the recommendations of the Guam War Claims Review Commission.

Detailed Summary

Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act - Recognizes the suffering and the loyalty of the people of Guam during the Japanese occupation of Guam in World War II.

Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to make specified payments to: (1) living Guam residents who were killed, injured, interned, or subjected to forced labor or marches resulting from, or incident to, such occupation and subsequent liberation; and (2) survivors of compensable residents who died in war or survivors of compensable injured residents (such payments to be made after payments have been made to surviving Guam residents).

Defines "compensable Guam decedent" and "compensable Guam victim."

Directs the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission to specify injuries that would constitute a severe personal injury or a personal injury. Authorizes the Commission to adjudicate claims and determine payment eligibility.

Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a grant program for research, educational, and media activities that memorialize the events surrounding the occupation of Guam during World War II, honor the loyalty of the people of Guam during such occupation, or both.

Status of the Legislation

Latest Major Action: 5/9/2007: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Points in Favor

(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)

Points Against

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Revision by webmaster (June 28, 2007, 01:00:00)

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:00:00 EDT

H.R. 1595 would implement the recommendations of the Guam War Claims Review Commission.

Detailed Summary

<b>(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on May 7, 2007. The summary of that version is repeated here.)</b>

Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act - (Sec. 2) Recognizes the great suffering and steadfast loyalty and courage of the people of Guam during the Japanese occupation of Guam in World War II.

(Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to make the following payments for Guam World War II claims: (1) spouses, children or parents of compensable Guam decedents would be eligible for ,000; (2) compensable Guam victims who were raped or suffered severe personal injury would be eligible for ,000, those who were subjected to forced labor or suffered personal injury would be eligible for ,000, and those who were subjected to forced march, internment, or hiding to evade internment would be eligible for ,000; and (3) eligible heirs of compensable decedents or compensable victims would be eligible for ,000.

Requires payments to be made to living compensable Guam victims before survivor payments are made.

Defines "compensable Guam decedent" and "compensable Guam victim."

(Sec. 4) Authorizes the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission to adjudicate claims and determine payment eligibility.

(Sec. 6) Authorizes appropriations which shall remain available for obligation until September 30, 2012, for: (1) claims payments and adjudication; and (2) the World War II grants program.

Status of the Legislation

Latest Major Action: 5/9/2007: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Points in Favor

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Points Against

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Comment by Jesus (June 11, 2007, 01:00:00)

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 00:00:00 EDT

The US government should stop speaking on behalf of people and governments. The people injured and the governments that injured them. Japan should apologize to the injured, something it has yet to do... and the US government afforded that to Japan by absolving it from the war crimes it committed in World War II. How did this affect me... I lost a great uncle to Japan's bombing of Guam. I lost great cousins fighting in the sea of Japan in US submarines. This is something I just found out. So to all that say we should just go away... I would say this to you the US government should say I am sorry for speaking on your behalf....

Comment by Beenthere (May 13, 2007, 01:00:00)

Sun, 13 May 2007 00:00:00 EDT

At the time Japan was absolved of making restitution, The first A- Bombs had just been used and nobody thought Japan would recover as well as it did. For America to make restitution is a nice thing to do and I agree with it for the actual survivors that went through it but to extend it to those who did not directly suffer just because of there ethnicity is not right. Do we also pay the familys of the soldiers, sailors and airmen that suffered to re-take the island? War is Hell and the civilians always suffer but it is time to get over it and get on with life with thanks that you are alive and able to go on....

Status as of May 9, 2007

Wed, 09 May 2007 00:00:00 EDT

5/9/2007: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Comment by MB (May 8, 2007, 01:00:00)

Tue, 08 May 2007 00:00:00 EDT

This is one of the most absurd bills I've seen in a long time. Why would we pay for the atrocities committed by the Japanese? Didn't we already pay with our own citizen's lives?...

Comment by Bill (May 8, 2007, 01:00:00)

Tue, 08 May 2007 00:00:00 EDT

Why would we take care of people the Japanese hurt when we can barely take care of our own soldiers? (Aka Walter Reed)...