WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. senators on Tuesday battled over whether to give pension benefits to aging Filipino veterans who fought alongside U.S. forces in the Philippines during World War Two.

The proposal would provide about $300 a month to some 18,000 Filipino World War Two veterans living in the Philippines and is opposed by President George W. Bush and Senate Republicans who say the Democratic-backed provision is too generous.

The measure is part of a bill that would expand health, education, housing and pension benefits to U.S. veterans that the Senate agreed to begin debating on Tuesday. The Democratic-led Senate is expected to pass the bill within the next few days and send it to the House of Representatives for consideration.

"It's long overdue that the United States Senate recognize the contribution made by so many Filipinos in World War Two to the success of our war effort," said Sen. Richard Durbin, an Illinois Democrat.

"Our fight in the Philippines was a bitter, long, and tragic battle that ended well but only after great sacrifice by the Filipino people, by Filipino soldiers and by our American soldiers," Durbin added.

Republicans argued that the pension benefit was too big given the average annual income in the Philippines is $2,864. They argued that would give Filipino World War Two veterans a better benefit than the average U.S. veteran given the lower cost of living in the Philippines.

Sen. Richard Burr, a North Carolina Republican, planned to offer an amendment that would limit pension benefits to Filipino veterans living in the United States and use the $221 million savings to enhance benefits for U.S. veterans.

"I believe it is time for us to stand up for our guys versus that select group (for whom) there was never a promise made," Burr said during Senate debate.

Source:
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/washington/politics-usa-veterans-philippines.html