[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 147 (Wednesday, October 7, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S7221]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REED (for himself, Mr. Whitehouse, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. 
        Franken, and Ms. Warren):
  S. 2161. A bill to provide for the adjustment of status of certain 
nationals of Liberia to that of lawful permanent residents and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I am pleased to reintroduce the 
Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act along with Senators 
Whitehouse, Klobuchar, Warren, and Franken. 
  This bill, which I have introduced every Congress since 1999, seeks 
to provide a path to citizenship for qualifying Liberian refugees who 
came here decades ago to escape Liberia's civil wars. Since this time, 
they have been in our country legally through short term extensions of 
Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Enforced Departure. After years 
of uncertainty about whether they will be able to stay in their 
communities or whether their families will be split up, this bill give 
eligible Liberians the chance to apply for legal permanent residency, 
and begin the process of finally becoming citizens.
  Similar safeguards were included in the last Comprehensive 
Immigration Reform bill that the Senate passed, and I look forward to 
working with my colleagues to provide this critical and long overdue 
support for our Liberian community.
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