[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 121 (Monday, September 25, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H6971-H6972]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN CITIZEN ACT
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 5323) to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to
provide for ceremonies on or near Independence Day for administering
oaths of allegiance to legal immigrants whose applications for
naturalization have been approved, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 5323
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 ``Proud to Be an American
Citizen Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) The United States is a nation of immigrants.
(2) Immigrants strengthen the economic and political ties
of the United States with other nations.
(3) Immigrants enhance the Nation's ability to compete in
the global market.
(4) Immigrants contribute to the Nation's scientific,
literary, artistic, and other cultural resources.
(5) A properly regulated system of legal immigration is in
the Nation's interest.
(6) The Naturalization Oath of Allegiance impresses on new
United States citizens--
(A) the shared American values of liberty, democracy, and
equal opportunity; and
(B) the obligation to respect and abide by the
Constitution, including the Bill of Rights.
(8) Naturalization rewards legal immigrants who have abided
by all Federal laws and Department of Homeland Security
regulations.
(9) Naturalization bestows all the legal rights,
privileges, and responsibilities of a United States citizen.
SEC. 3. INDEPENDENCE DAY CEREMONIES FOR OATHS OF ALLEGIANCE.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall
make available funds each fiscal year to the Director of U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services or to public or private
nonprofit entities to support public ceremonies for
administering oaths of allegiance under section 337(a) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1448(a)) to legal
immigrants whose applications for naturalization have been
approved.
(b) Ceremonies.--A ceremony conducted with funds under this
section--
(1) shall be held on a date that is on or near Independence
Day; and
(2) shall include appropriate outreach, ceremonial, and
celebratory activities.
(c) Selection of Sites.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall
select the site for each ceremony conducted with funds under
this section.
(2) Selection process.--In selecting a site under paragraph
(1), the Secretary of Homeland Security should consider--
(A) the number of naturalization applicants living in
proximity to the site; and
(B) the degree of participation in and support for the
ceremony by the local community at the site.
(d) Amounts Available; Use of Funds.--
(1) Amounts available.--Amounts made available under this
section for each ceremony shall not exceed $5,000.
(2) Funds.--Funds made available under this section may be
used only for the following:
(A) Costs of personnel of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services and the Federal judiciary (including travel and
overtime expenses).
(B) Site rental, including audio equipment rental.
(C) Logistical requirements, including sanitation.
(D) Costs for printing brochures about the naturalization
participants and the naturalization process.
(3) Availability of funds.--Funds that are otherwise
available to the Department of Homeland Security to carry out
naturalization activities shall be available to carry out
this section.
(e) Application.--No amount may be made available under
this section to an entity that is not part of the Department
of Homeland Security, for supporting a ceremony described in
subsection (b), unless--
(1) the entity submits an application to the Secretary of
Homeland Security, in a form and manner specified by the
Secretary of Homeland Security; and
(2) the Secretary of Homeland Security approves the
application.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr.
Conyers) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin.
General Leave
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend
their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5323, currently
under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Wisconsin?
There was no objection.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5323, the Proud to Be an
American Citizen Act, which enables U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services or nonprofit entities to conduct naturalization ceremonies on
or near Independence Day each year. The legislation gives us an
opportunity to underscore the importance and privilege of U.S.
citizenship.
This legislation does not authorize new funds, but would provide up
to $5,000 for each ceremony organized on Independence Day out of the
funds already available to the Department of Homeland Security. The
moneys provided under this bill would be sufficient to cover the basics
for a ceremony to honor those who have worked hard and met the legal
requirements to become United States citizens.
The funds may be used only for the cost of government personnel
needed to administer the Oath of Allegiance, facilities rental,
brochures, and other logistics. The bill requires any nongovernment
entity seeking to organize a naturalization ceremony to receive
approval through the Department of Homeland Security.
The bill allows new Americans to celebrate their naturalization in
conjunction with celebrating America on Independence Day. I believe it
is important that we support those who want to take the final step
toward becoming Americans and those who have legally moved through the
immigration system to obtain citizenship.
I urge Members to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I am happy to rise in support of this legislation because immigration
is one of the basic foundations of the Nation, and the contributions of
immigrants are too many to be counted.
This legislation recognizes these principles, and in addition,
authorizes the Homeland Security Secretary to dispense $5,000 to public
and private nonprofit entities to host naturalization ceremonies. This
purpose originally was authorized as a part of the 1996 immigration
law, and I believe it deserves reauthorization.
I join with the chairman of the committee in urging our colleagues to
vote ``yes'' on the bill
Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, as the original sponsor of H.R. 5323, I
commend the House far adopting the Proud to Be An American Citizen Act.
I want to thank Chairman Sensenbrenner and Ranking Member Conyers of
the Judiciary Committee for their support of this bill, as well as Mr.
Hobson of Ohio for his original co-sponsorship.
H.R. 5323 provides authorization for Citizenship and Immigration
Services (CIS) to support community citizenship ceremonies. A similar
provision was enacted into law in the 1996 immigration reform bill, but
has since expired.
CIS reports that more than 28,000 new citizens will be sworn in at
133 citizenship ceremonies around the country. These ceremonies are
marked by Democrats and Republicans alike. Not only have many of us
participated in these ceremonies, but throughout the years, so have
President Bush, Madeline Albright, Ronald Reagan, and Arnold
Schwarzenegger.
[[Page H6972]]
H.R. 5323 recognizes those immigrants who have played by the rules
and been through this country's rigorous immigration screening process.
Legal immigrants have earned their citizenship after years of waiting,
high fees, learning English, and a passing grade on a citizenship test.
The culmination of this all is taking the Oath of Citizenship.
Every year in my district around the 4th of July, I host a
Citizenship Ceremony. This past year, 120 immigrants from China, Fiji
Island, Algeria, Canada and other countries took their Oath, and sang
our National Anthem and America the Beautiful in a community wide
celebration.
Just this month, CIS and the Department of the Interior's National
Park Service announced a partnership to welcome new citizens to the
U.S. via national parks. In the last week, citizenship ceremonies have
been held at Ellis Island National Park in New York to Yosemite
National Park in California.
All of us can look back to our own families and find the first
generation immigrants. Let us welcome new citizens as we would have
wanted our ancestors to be welcomed.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of
H.R. 5323, the ``Proud to be an American Citizen Act,'' which requires
the Secretary of Homeland Security to make funds available to support
public naturalization ceremonies that are held on a date that is on or
near Independence Day. These funds would be given to the Director of
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or to public or
private nonprofit entities. The Secretary would select the sites for
the ceremonies, approve the entities receiving the funds, and dispense
up to, but no more than, $5,000 for each ceremony.
The use of the funds would be limited to the costs of personnel from
USCIS and the Federal judiciary, including travel and overtime
expenses; site and audio equipment rentals; logistical requirements;
and costs for printing brochures about the naturalization participants
and the naturalization process.
Naturalization rewards legal immigrants who have played by the rules
and abided by all United States laws and USCIS regulations. The
naturalization ceremony is not just a formality. Taking the Oath of
Allegiance is a critical legal step in becoming a naturalized citizen.
The words of the Oath of Allegiance convey the core meaning of becoming
an American citizen. These words reflect the shared American values of
liberty, democracy, and equal opportunity; and the obligation to abide
by the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights.
The Oath of Allegiance should not be taken in an empty room without
fanfare, particularly on Independence Day. I urge all members to show
their support for those who are proud to become American citizens by
voting for H.R. 5323.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I return the balance of my time.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I do the same.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5323, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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