[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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