; Whereas 26,000 Filipino World War II veterans were granted United States citizenship as a result of the Immigration Act of 1990 ( Public Law 101–649 ; 104 Stat. 4978), which was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on November 29, 1990; Whereas, in 1991, the Filipino American National Historical Society made efforts to recognize October as Filipino American History Month for the first time; Whereas, in 2009, Congress first recognized October as Filipino American History Month (S. Res. 298; H. Res. 780); Whereas, on February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ( Public Law 111–5 ; 123 Stat. 115), which established the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund to compensate Filipino World War II veterans for their service to the United States; Whereas, since June 8, 2016, the Filipino World War II Veterans Parole Program has allowed Filipino World War II veterans and certain family members to be reunited more expeditiously than the immigrant visa process allowed at that time; Whereas, on December 14, 2016, President Barack Obama signed into law the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015 ( Public Law 114–265 ; 130 Stat. 1376) to award Filipino veterans who fought alongside troops of the United States in World War II the highest civilian honor bestowed by Congress; Whereas, on October 25, 2017, the Congressional Gold Medal was presented to Filipino World War II veterans in Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Building, a recognition for which the veterans had waited for more than 70 years; Whereas Filipino Americans have received the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force that may be bestowed on an individual serving in the Armed Forces, and continue to demonstrate a commendable sense of patriotism and honor in the Armed Forces