[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 167 (Wednesday, December 5, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2215]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




PERMITTING LEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO HAVE FILED FOR NATURALIZATION PRIOR TO 
    SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, TO KEEP THEIR JOBS AT OUR NATION'S AIRPORTS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. PATSY T. MINK

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 5, 2001

  Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce H.R. 3416 
to amend PL107-71, the recently passed Aviation Security Act.
  PL107-71 prohibits the hiring of non-citizens in airport security 
programs no matter how well qualified. This prohibition is an 
egregious, unfair provision.
  It forgets that 34,200 legal residents are active in the U.S. Armed 
Forces and that 12,600 serve in our Reserves and are willing to give 
their lives in defense of our freedom.
  If legal residents can fight for us in war, they should be able to 
protect us in airports.
  If legal residents are otherwise qualified to serve as our airport 
security officers, they ought not to be denied employment just because 
they are not citizens.
  My bill, H.R. 3416, does not totally fix the basic problem. But it 
protects employment rights to legal residents who have filed for 
naturalization prior to September 11, 2001.
  If a legal resident is otherwise cleared for employment and qualified 
for hire, lack of citizenship should not be a bar to hire if the legal 
resident has filed for naturalization prior to September 11, 2001.
  This bill is fair. It opens the doors to continued employment in 
security jobs operated by the federal government under PL107-71. Under 
H.R. 3416, intent to become a U.S. citizen clears the way to being 
hired. Filing for naturalization should be recognized as giving the 
employee the bona fides needed to qualify.
  There are many places where it still takes 18 months to 2 years to 
become a citizen after filing for naturalization.
  These persons should not be prejudiced for the failure to process the 
papers in a more timely manner.
  I urge my colleagues to support this fair and equitable compromise.

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