Congressman Brad Wenstrup, of Cincinnati, Ohio (2nd District), has supported the ‘Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015’ that seeks to honor the sacrifice of some 260,000 Filipino veterans.
The veterans’ bill gets closer to passage after it was unanimously passed by the US Senate and received the required number of co-sponsors in the US House of Representatives.
Philippine Consul General Generoso D.G. Calonge thanked the US lawmaker from the US Midwest for his support to the ‘Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015.’
Wenstrup has co-sponsored the veterans’ bill.
Consul General Calonge visited Wenstrup at his office in Cincinnati, Ohio recently and told the lawmaker of the
long history of cooperation between the Philippines and the United States leading up to the 70th
anniversary of diplomatic relations this year.
He also invited Wenstrup to consider joining the PH-US Friendship Caucus, should the latter win his re-election bid, in order to take advantage of the opportunities it presents for strengthening cooperation on various issues and areas of mutual interest and benefit.
The officials, who are both former Army officers, also exchanged views on political developments, particularly in matters concerning defense, security and counter-terrorism from the Philippine and US experiences.
The Philippine Embassy in Washington said the veterans’ bill “is a significant step forward in the long battle for due recognition of our veterans who courageously fought side by side with the Americans in the defense of freedom and democracy.”