[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 167 (Wednesday, December 5, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S12456]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CORZINE (for himself and Mr. Torricelli):
  S. 1776. A bill to provide for the naturalization of Deena Gilbey; to 
the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. CORZINE. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce private 
legislation granting citizenship to Deena Gilbey, a woman profoundly 
affected by the disaster of September 11. Since then, Deena has endured 
a tremendous hardship, a hardship that has been compounded by mounting 
paperwork and an unyielding, dispassionate bureaucratic process. 
Without swift congressional action, Deena, a British national, will be 
forced to uproot her two children and remove them from the only country 
they have ever known just one year from the death of their father.
  Deena Gilbey first moved to the United States in July 1993 when Paul, 
her husband was transferred from London to the New York office of Euro 
Bank. They spent the eight years that followed building a life in the 
United States in suburban Chatham Township. They began to raise two 
children, Max, 7, and Mason, 3, both of whom were born in the United 
States. Although the children are both U.S. citizens, Deena is not and 
was present in the county as part of her husband's H1-B work visa. Both 
Deena and Paul were attempting to become citizens when disaster struck.
  For all Americans, September 11 will be remembered with a deep 
sadness. However, that national anguish took on a personal quality for 
the Gibleys when the family learned that Paul, like so many others, was 
lost beneath the rubble of the World Trade Center.
  With the death of Paul, Deena was forced to face up to the difficult 
realization that her own lawful status in the United States was in 
jeopardy. For the first several weeks after he died, it was unclear 
whether Deena would be allowed to leave the country and spend time with 
family or even work to support her children. The anti-terrorism bill 
that passed the Congress earlier this year was a step in the right 
direction. But it did not go far enough. It did not give Deena and 
Paul's children the stability they deserve.
  The anti-terrorism legislation that passed the Congress earlier this 
year allowed Deena to remain in the United States just one additional 
year to sort out her affairs. She had just one year to wrap up the life 
she and Paul had made together in the United States. She had just one 
year to prepare her children for the trauma of moving to a foreign 
country and of leaving the only country that had ever been home. One 
additional year is simply not enough.
  When Paul died in the attack on the World Trade Center, he died with 
thousands of Americans. Before that, he contributed to the American 
economy for nearly a decade, paying taxes and lending his expertise in 
a highly specialized field. On that fateful day, he embodied the 
American spirit when he assisted coworkers in escaping the fire and 
destruction of ground zero.
  Paul Gilbey was killed in a callous and cowardly attack on America. 
In the aftermath of this tragic event, we have a responsibility to help 
ensure that stability returns to the lives of the children he left 
behind.
  Giving citizenship to Deena Gilbey is our patriotic responsibility. I 
hope this Congress will acknowledge her sacrifice and allow her and her 
children to remain in the United States.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation and ask 
unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1776

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

     SECTION 1. NATURALIZATION OF DEENA GILBEY.

       Notwithstanding title III of the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) Deena Gilbey shall be 
     entitled to naturalization as a citizen of the United States 
     upon being administered the oath of renunciation and 
     allegiance in an appropriate ceremony pursuant to section 337 
     of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Upon naturalization 
     of Deena Gilbey under this Act, the Attorney General shall 
     record the date of naturalization of Deena Gilbey as being 
     September 10, 2001.

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