[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1806 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1806

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to change the requirements 
 for naturalization to citizenship through service in the Armed Forces 
                         of the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 11, 2003

  Mr. Putnam introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to change the requirements 
 for naturalization to citizenship through service in the Armed Forces 
                         of the United States.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. PRIORITY CONSIDERATION OF APPLICATIONS FOR NATURALIZATION 
              THROUGH SERVICE IN THE ARMED FORCES.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that applications for 
naturalization through service in the Armed Forces of the United States 
under sections 328, 329, and 329A shall be expedited to the greatest 
extent possible and shall be given priority consideration over all 
other applications for naturalization by the Bureau of Citizenship and 
Immigration Services.
    (b) Verification of Military Records.--The Secretary of Defense 
shall ensure that verifications of military records required for the 
consideration of application for naturalization through service in the 
Armed Forces of the United States under sections 328, 329, and 329A of 
the Immigration and Nationality Act are provided as expeditiously as 
possible.

SEC. 2. REQUIREMENTS FOR NATURALIZATION TO CITIZENSHIP THROUGH SERVICE 
              IN THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES.

    (a) Period of Required Service Reduced to 1 Year.--Section 328(a) 
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1439(a)) is amended by 
striking ``three'' and inserting ``one''.
    (b) Prohibition on Imposition of Fees Relating to Naturalization.--
Section 328(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1439(b)) is amended--
            (1) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (3) and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (2) by adding after paragraph (3) the following:
            ``(4) notwithstanding any other provision of law, no fee 
        shall be charged or collected from the applicant for filing an 
        application under subsection (a) or issuing a certificate of 
        naturalization upon admission to citizenship, and no clerk of 
        any State court shall charge or collect any fee for such 
        services unless the laws of the State require such charge to be 
        made, in which case nothing more than the portion of the fee 
        required to be paid to the State shall be charged or 
        collected.''.
    (c) Conduct of Naturalization Proceedings Overseas for Members of 
the Armed Forces of the United States.--Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of 
State, and the Secretary of Defense, shall ensure that any 
applications, interviews, filings, oaths, ceremonies, or other 
proceedings under title III of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
relating to naturalization of members of the Armed Forces are available 
through United States embassies and consulates and, as practicable, 
United States military installations overseas.
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