Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS -- (Senate - June 10, 2008)

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By Mr. BINGAMAN (for himself and Mr. HATCH):

S. 3107. A bill to require the payment of compensation to members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the United States who were forced to perform slave labor by the Imperial Government of Japan or by corporations of Japan during World War II, or the surviving spouses of such members, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I rise today with my colleague Senator HATCH to introduce legislation to acknowledge the heroic contributions of American ex-prisoners of war who were forced into slave labor by the Imperial Government of Japan during the Second World War. The bill would award a one-time compensation of $20,000 to each surviving veteran, government employee, or government contractor who was imprisoned by the Japanese during World War II and forced to perform slave labor to support Japan's war effort. The bill would also extend that compensation to surviving spouses of such veterans or employees. While this compensation is only a small token of our Nation's gratitude, it is my hope that it serves as recognition of the vital military contributions and sacrifices made by these individuals, particularly as those Americans who sacrificed so much approach their final years.

From December 1941 to April 1942, American military forces stationed in the Philippines fought valiantly for almost 6 months against overwhelming Japanese military forces on the Bataan peninsula. As a result of that prolonged conflict, U.S. forces prevented Japan from achieving its strategic objective of capturing Australia and thereby dooming Allied hopes in the Pacific theater from the outset of the war.

Once captured by the Japanese, American prisoners of war in the Philippines endured the infamous ``Death March'' during which approximately 730 Americans died en route to the notorious Japanese prison camp north of Manila. Of the survivors of the March, more than 5,000 more Americans perished during the first 6 months of captivity. The Japanese forced many of those who survived captivity to embark on ``hell ships''--unmarked merchant ships--to be transported to Japan to work as slave laborers in company-owned mines, shipyards, and factories. Tragically, many of our own men perished in those unmarked vessels, victims of attacks by American military aircraft and submarines who were unaware that American POWs were aboard those ships. The stories of other American military and civilian employees captured by the Japanese at Wake Island, Java, Manchuria, Taiwan, and other locations in the Pacific and enslaved to support the war effort are equally compelling.

The heroic performance of our soldiers at Bataan and during incarceration in POW camps earned them well-deserved citations following the war. For example, the 200th and 515th Coastal Artillery units from New Mexico that served to defend the retreating troops at Bataan received three Presidential Unit Citations and the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for their heroism. New Mexico is particularly proud of these men whose heroism I seek to salute through this legislation today.

Sadly, the Americans who were enslaved by Japan have never been adequately compensated for the excruciating sacrifices they made while in Japanese military and company prisons and labor camps. In the War Claims Acts of 1948 and 1952, our Government paid former U.S. prisoners of war $1.00 per day for ``missed meals'' during their captivity, and later, $1.50 per day for ``forced labor, pain, and suffering.'' Even those paltry compensations were not widely known about or received by all veterans who qualified for them. In addition, efforts to obtain appropriate compensation from the Government of Japan, or from Japanese companies through litigation, have been unsuccessful and are not likely to succeed in a timely enough manner to compensate surviving veterans or others who would be eligible.

Other Allied nations have already set international precedent to honor their enslaved veterans. Allied governments, including Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Norway, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom have authorized compensation gratuities. For example, in 1998, the Canadian Government authorized the payment of $15,600, Canadian dollars, to veterans who were captured in Hong Kong and enslaved by the Japanese. And in 2000, Prime Minister Tony Blair announced a multi-million pound compensation fund for former enslaved Japanese prisoners of war in recognition of their heroic experiences. It is long overdue for our own Nation to provide similar compensation to those who gave so much to defend and preserve our freedom.

Approximately 10 years have passed since I began advocating for passage of this type of compensation, and in that time, many of these brave heroes who deserve recognition have already passed away. Fortunately, Congress still has time to honor those individuals who are alive today to share their courageous and heartrending stories. For this reason, I believe the Congress should avoid any further delay and act as soon as possible to enact this important legislation. I thank Senator HATCH for agreeing to cosponsor this legislation, and I urge my fellow Senators to support it.

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