S 2433 — Filipino Veterans Fairness Act of 2018

(a) Service before July 1, 1946, in the organized military forces of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, while such forces were in the service of the Armed Forces of the United States pursuant to the military order of the President dated July 26, 1941, including among such military forces organized guerrilla forces under commanders appointed, designated, or subsequently recognized by the Commander in Chief, Southwest Pacific Area, or other competent authority in the Army of the United States, shall not be deemed to have been active military, naval, or air service for the purposes of any law of the United States conferring rights, privileges, or benefits upon any person by reason of the service of such person or the service of any other person in the Armed Forces, except benefits under— (1) contracts of National Service Life Insurance entered into before February 18, 1946; (2) chapter 10 of title 37; and (3) chapters 11, 13 (except section 1312(a)), 23, and 24 (to the extent provided for in section 2402(a)(8)) of this title. Except as provided in subsection (c) or (d), payments under such chapters shall be made at a rate of $0.50 for each dollar authorized, and where annual income is a factor in entitlement to benefits, the dollar limitations in the law specifying such annual income shall apply at a rate of $0.50 for each dollar. Any payments made before February 18, 1946, to any such member under such laws conferring rights, benefits, or privileges shall not be deemed to have been invalid by reason of the circumstance that such member’s service was not service in the Armed Forces or any component thereof within the meaning of any such law. (b) Service in the Philippine Scouts under section 14 of the Armed Forces Voluntary Recruitment Act of 1945 shall not be deemed to have been active military, naval, or air service for the purposes of any of the laws administered by the Secretary except— (1) with respect to contracts of National Service Life Insurance entered into (A) before May 27, 1946, (B) under section 620 or 621 of the National Service Life Insurance Act of 1940, or (C) under section 1922 of this title; and (2) chapters 11, 13 (except section 1312(a)), 23, and 24 (to the extent provided for in section 2402(a)(8)) of this title. Except as provided in subsection (c) or (d), payments under such chapters shall be made at a rate of $0.50 for each dollar authorized, and where annual income is a factor in entitlement to benefits, the dollar limitations in the law specifying such annual income shall apply at a rate of $0.50 for each dollar. (c) In the case of benefits under subchapters II and IV of chapter 11 of this title and subchapter II of chapter 13 (except section 1312(a)) of this title paid by reason of service described in subsection (a) or (b) to an individual residing in the United States who is a citizen of, or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in, the United States, the second sentence of the applicable subsection shall not apply. (d) (1) With respect to benefits under chapter 23 of this title, in the case of an individual described in paragraph (2), the second sentence of subsection (a) or (b), as otherwise applicable, shall not apply. (2) Paragraph (1) applies to any individual whose service is described in subsection (a) and who dies after November 1, 2000, or whose service is described in subsection (b) and who dies after the date of the enactment of the Veterans Benefits Act of 2003, if the individual, on the individual’s date of death— (A) is a citizen of, or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in, the United States; (B) is residing in the United States; and (C) either— (i) is receiving compensation under chapter 11 of this title; or (ii) if the individual’s service had been deemed to be active military, naval, or air service, would have been paid pension under section 1521 of this title without denial or discontinuance by reason of section 1522 of this title.