[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 64 (Thursday, May 1, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E842]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        SUPPORT FOR H.R. 832, PERMANENT PARTNERS IMMIGRATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRAD SHERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 1, 2003

  Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 832, the Permanent Partners 
Immigration Act would allow US citizens and lawful permanent residents, 
who are in a permanent partnership, to sponsor their partner for 
immigration purposes in the same way that opposite-sex spouses now can. 
This proposal would also hold these partners to the same legal 
commitments of a legal marriage, in that if a person is found to have 
entered into a fraudulent permanent partnership for the purpose of 
obtaining a visa for another person, they will be subject to the same 
five year maximum imprisonment, or $250,000 maximum fine, or both.
  According to the Human Rights Campaign, this legislation would affect 
the status of thousands of couples who currently are separated or risk 
permanent separation from the ones they love. Fourteen countries--
including Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Israel, the United Kingdom 
and South Africa--recognize same sex partnerships for purposes of 
immigration.
  I have co-sponsored H.R. 832 because I strongly believe in its 
purposes and I am confident that its text will be fine tuned as it goes 
through the legislative process. I called upon the Congressional 
leadership to begin that process.

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