[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 68 (Wednesday, May 15, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H2637]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       RECOGNIZING CLARA BANCROFT

  (Mr. TIPTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. TIPTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Clara Bancroft of 
Durango, Colorado. Clara is one of the exceptional stories to come out 
of our Nation's complex immigration system. An Argentine by birth, 
Clara chose to pursue a United States citizen residency and eventual 
citizenship. She did so entirely within the legal immigration system.
  Born in Las Garcitas in the Chaco province of northern Argentina in 
1967, Clara was the ninth of 13 children. Her parents were poor 
ranchers who often struggled to afford food, and her childhood home had 
no electricity. When Clara was only 8 years old, she had to leave 
school and become the sole caretaker for her grandmother. After the 
passing of her grandmother, she moved to Buenos Aires at the age of 16, 
where she worked as a nanny and returned to school. In 2001, while 
working as a receptionist at the BV Group, she met her soon-to-be 
husband, Paul Bancroft.
  In February of 2002, Clara came to visit her future husband as a 
tourist under the U.S. visa waiver program. While she was in America, 
that program was unexpectedly ended with Argentina. Respecting U.S. 
immigration law, Mrs. Bancroft returned to her home country as she 
worked to be able to get her visa. While still navigating the 
immigration system, Mr. and Mrs. Bancroft were married in October of 
2002, and after nearly a year of legal battles, Mrs. Bancroft returned 
to the United States and reunited with her husband in January of 2003.
  Since coming to America, Mrs. Bancroft has learned English, and in 
2008 the Bancrofts welcomed their son, Bill, into their family. On 
November 15, 2012, Clara took the oath of citizenship in the United 
States. She is a proud citizen and loves her adopted country.
  Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize Mrs. Clara Bancroft for 
overcoming adversity and achieving the American Dream by becoming a 
citizen of the United States of America.

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