110 HR 7057 IH: Military Personnel Citizenship U.S. House of Representatives 2008-09-24 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 110th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7057 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 24, 2008 Mr. Rodriguez introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To establish a liaison with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to expedite naturalization applications filed by members of the Armed Forces and to establish a deadline for processing such applications.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Military Personnel Citizenship Processing Act.

2.

Office of the FBI Liaison

(a)

Establishment

Section 451 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 271) is amended— (1)by striking the Bureau of each place it appears and inserting United States; and (2)by adding at the end the following: (g)

Office of the FBI Liaison

(1)

In general

There shall be an Office of the FBI Liaison in United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. (2)

Functions

The Office of the FBI Liaison shall monitor the progress of the functions of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the naturalization process to assist in the expeditious completion of all such functions pertaining to naturalization applications filed by current or former members of the Armed Forces under section 328 or 329 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1439 and 1440). (3)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this subsection. . (b)

Rulemaking

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, in consultation with the Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services shall promulgate rules to carry out the amendment made by subsection (a)(2).

3.

Deadline for processing and adjudicating naturalization applications filed by members of the Armed Forces

(a)

In general

Section 328 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1439) is amended by adding at the end the following: (g)Not later than 6 months after receiving each application filed under subsection (a) or section 329(a), United States Citizenship and Immigration Services shall— (1)process and adjudicate the application; or (2)provide the applicant with— (A)an explanation for its inability to meet the processing and adjudication deadline under this subsection; and (B)an estimate of the date by which the application will be processed and adjudicated. (h)The Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services shall notify the Attorney General of every application filed under subsection (a) or section 329(a) that is not processed and adjudicated within 1 year after it was filed. . (b)

GAO report

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to Congress that contains the results of a study regarding the average length of time taken by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to process and adjudicate applications for naturalization filed by members of the Armed Services. (c)

Annual report

The Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services shall annually submit a report to Congress that sets forth, for each year, the average time between the date on which an application is filed under section 328(a) or section 329(a) and the date on which the application is adjudicated.

4.

Sunset provision

This Act and the amendments made by this Act are repealed on the date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.