[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 26 (Thursday, March 1, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S1780]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. FRIST (for himself and Mr. Thompson):
  S. 439. A bill to authorize the establishment of a suboffice of the 
Immigration and Naturalization Service in Nashville, Tennessee; to the 
Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, today, I introduce the Nashville INS Sub-
office Act along with Senator Thompson. This bill addresses important 
immigration issues facing Tennessee by authorizing funds for a much 
needed INS sub-office in Nashville.
  The Mid-South region is experiencing exceptional population growth 
from not only other parts of the nation, but also from a significant 
number of foreign nationals looking to relocate. As a result of this 
new influx in population, the existing Memphis INS office is 
overstretched and facing an enormous backlog of cases. As the largest 
metropolitan area in the state, it only makes sense to open another INS 
office in Nashville.
  The new office would be geographically positioned to better provide 
the necessary services for individuals living in Middle and East 
Tennessee. It would also help alleviate the excessive burden facing the 
Memphis office by transferring a large portion of its workload. The new 
Nashville sub-office would improve overall services and enables the INS 
to better address illegal immigration concerns in our area.
  I ask unanimous consent that the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 439

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Nashville INS Suboffice 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) The Immigration and Naturalization Service field office 
     in Memphis, Tennessee, is designated as a suboffice within 
     the jurisdiction of the district office in New Orleans, 
     Louisiana.
       (2) Over the past 10 years, the foreign national population 
     has grown substantially in the jurisdictional area of the 
     Memphis suboffice.
       (3) It is estimated that more than 200,000 foreign 
     nationals are residing in the jurisdictional area of the 
     Memphis suboffice.
       (4) The Memphis suboffice has pending an equal or greater 
     number of cases, and receives as many new cases, as the New 
     Orleans district office.
       (5) Approximately 46 percent of the total number of 
     permanent resident applications received by the Memphis 
     suboffice come from individuals residing in middle and 
     eastern Tennessee.
       (6) In many instances, such individuals have to travel 3 to 
     6 hours each way to Memphis to receive service.
       (7) Nashville is a logical location for a new Immigration 
     and Naturalization Service suboffice because its central 
     location will reduce such travel time and allow the 
     Immigration and Naturalization Service to provide better and 
     more efficient service to such individuals.
       (8) As the largest metropolitan area in the State of 
     Tennessee, major routes from across the State flow into 
     Nashville and air transportation is readily available there.
       (9) Establishment of a Nashville suboffice would make a 
     strong statement about the commitment of the Immigration and 
     Naturalization Service to gaining control over illegal 
     immigration and would facilitate legal immigration and 
     citizenship initiatives in central and eastern Tennessee.
       (10) Congress has identified Nashville as a region 
     underserved by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

     SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each 
     fiscal year to establish and operate an Immigration and 
     Naturalization Service suboffice in Nashville, Tennessee. 
     Such suboffice shall have jurisdiction over the following 
     counties in the State of Tennessee: Anderson, Bedford, 
     Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Cannon, Carter, Cheatham, 
     Claiborne, Clay, Cocke, Coffee, Cumberland, Davidson, Dekalb, 
     Dickson, Fentress, Franklin, Giles, Grainger, Greene, Grundy, 
     Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Hawkins, Hickman, 
     Houston, Humphries, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, 
     Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Loudon, Macon, Marion, Marshall, 
     Maury, McMinn, Meigs, Moore, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, 
     Overton, Perry, Pickett, Polk, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, 
     Robertson, Rutherford, Scott, Sevier, Sequatchie, Smith, 
     Stewart, Sullivan, Sumner, Trousdale, Unicoi, Union, Van 
     Buren, Warren, Washington, Wayne, White, Williamson, and 
     Wilson.
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