[House Report 106-961]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
106th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 106-961
======================================================================
FOR THE RELIEF OF MRS. ELIZABETH EKA BASSEY, EMMANUEL O. PAUL BASSEY,
AND MARY IDONGESIT PAUL BASSEY
_______
October 11, 2000.--Referred to the Private Calendar and ordered to be
printed
_______
Mr. Smith of Texas, from the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 1078]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the
bill (S. 1078) for the relief of Mrs. Elizabeth Eka Bassey,
Emmanuel O. Paul Bassey, and Mary Idongesit Paul Bassey, having
considered the same, reports favorably thereon without
amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Purpose and Summary........................................ 1
Background and Need for the Legislation.................... 1
Committee Consideration.................................... 2
Committee Oversight Findings............................... 2
Committee on Government Reform Findings.................... 2
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures.................. 2
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate.................. 3
Constitutional Authority Statement......................... 3
Agency Views............................................... 3
Purpose and Summary
S. 1078 would allow Mrs. Elizabeth Eks Bassey, Emmanuel O.
Paul Bassey and Mary Idongesit Paul Bassey to adjust to
permanent resident status.
Background and Need for the Legislation
Paul Bassey and his wife Elizabeth were career employees
with the U.S. Department of State. Mr. Bassey was a Nigerian
citizen employed with the U.S. government since 1961. In 1991
Mr. Bassey received special immigrant status from the State
Department in recognition of his service to the U.S.
Government. He was approved for an employment 4th preference
visa petition as a result of his special immigrant status.
During that same year, Zaire erupted into a civil war and the
American Embassy began evacuating Americans and employees of
the embassy. Due to the emergency circumstances, the Embassy
was working on a skeleton staff and was desperate for help.
Embassy officials asked Mr. Bassey to delay his retirement for
another year to help them through the crisis. Despite the grave
danger and hardship for him and his family, Mr. Bassey agreed.
In May 1992, Mr. Bassey died of a heart attack prior to
immigrating to the US under his approved special immigrant
status. Mrs. Bassey and the children were advised that they
were ineligible for special immigrant status, although all
would have qualified had they been accompanying Mr. Bassey to
the U.S. The only available remedy is private legislation.
The beneficiary, Mrs. Bassey, is a native and citizen of
Nigeria. Mrs. Bassey and her daughter Mary (age 17) were
paroled into the US on December 18, 1993, for humanitarian
reasons and they have remained in the US since that date. Mrs.
Bassey's parole was extended until August 9, 2000. She is
currently living in Raleigh, NC with Mary and Jacob. Jacob
Bassey (age 26) entered the US on August 14, 1991 with a F-1
student visa and has remained in the US since that date.
Emmanuel Bassey (age 29) entered the US on January 8, 1989, on
a F-1 student visa and lives alone in Chapel Hill, NC.
Elizabeth was a career employee with the US Government having
served the American Embassy in Zaire for 12 years in the Joint
Administrative Office (JAO) and received a distinguished honor
award for her work at the American Embassy.
Committee Consideration
On October 11, 2000, the Committee on the Judiciary met in
open session and ordered reported favorably the bill S. 1078
without amendment by voice vote, a quorum being present.
Committee Oversight Findings
In compliance with clause 2(l)(3)(A) of rule XI of the
Rules of the House of Representatives, the committee reports
that the findings and recommendations of the committee, based
on oversight activities under clause 2(b)(1) of rule X of the
Rules of the House of Representatives, are incorporated in the
descriptive portions of this report.
Committee on Government Reform Findings
No findings or recommendations of the Committee on
Government Reform and Oversight were received as referred to in
clause 2(l)(3)(D) of rule XI of the Rules of the House of
Representatives.
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures
Clause 2(l)(3)(B) of House Rule XI is inapplicable because
this legislation does not provide new budgetary authority or
increased tax expenditures.
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate
In compliance with clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, the committee believes that
the bill would have no significant impact on the Federal
budget. This is based on the Congressional Budget Office cost
estimate on S. 1078. That Congressional Budget Office cost
estimate follows:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, October 11, 2000.
Hon. Henry J. Hyde, Chairman,
Committee on the Judiciary,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
reviewed 11 private relief acts, which were ordered reported by
the House Committee on the Judiciary on October 11, 2000. CBO
estimates that their enactment would have no significant impact
on the federal budget. These acts could have a very small
effect on fees collected by the Immigration and Naturalization
Service and on benefits paid under certain federal entitlement
programs. Because these fees and expenditures are classified as
direct spending, pay-as-you-go procedures would apply. The act
reviewed is:
LS. 1078, an act for the relief of Mrs.
Elizabeth Eka Bassey, Emmanuel O. Paul Bassey, and Mary
Idongesit Paul Bassey;
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Mark
Grabowicz, who can be reached at 226-2860. This estimate was
approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for
Budget Analysis.
Sincerely,
Dan L. Crippen, Director.
cc:
Honorable John Conyers Jr.
Ranking Democratic Member
Constitutional Authority Statement
Pursuant to rule XI, clause 2(1)(4) of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the committee finds the authority for
this legislation in article 1, section 8, clause 4 of the
Constitution.
Agency Views
The comments of the Immigration and Naturalization Service
on S. 1078 are as follows:
U.S. Department of Justice,
Immigration and Naturalization Service,
Washington, DC, September 30, 1999.
Hon. Orrin Hatch, Chairman,
Committee on the Judiciary,
United States Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: This is in reference to your request for
a report relative to S. 1078, for the relief of Elizabeth
Bassey and her children, Emmanuel, Jacob, and Mary.
The bill would grant the beneficiaries having been lawfully
admitted to the United States for permanent residence as of the
date of the enactment of the Immigration and Nationality Act
upon payment of the required visa fees. The bill would also
direct the proper visa number deduction.
Sincerely,
Allen Erenbaum, Director,
Congressional Relations.
Enclosure
cc:
Department of State, Visa Office
District Director--Atlanta, GA
Memorandum of information from immigration and naturalization service
files re: s. 1078
The beneficiary, Elizabeth Eka Bassey, is a native and
citizen of Nigeria. Ms. Bassey was born in Uyo, Nigeria, now
called Buea, Cameroon, on June 28, 1952. She currently resides
at 3907 Charleston Park Drive, Raleigh, North Carolina with her
daughter, Mary Idongesit Bassey, and her son, Jacob Paul
Bassey, also beneficiaries of S. 1078. Ms. Bassey is currently
employed by Forest Glen Health Care Center in Garner, North
Carolina as a Nurse Assistant, with an income of about $38,000
a year. The beneficiary was paroled into the United States on
December 18, 1993, at New York, New York for humanitarian
reasons and has remained in the United States since that date.
Her parole was extended until August 9, 2000 at Charlotte,
North Carolina on August 10, 1999. Assets and liabilities
include a home in Raleigh, North Carolina, $125,000; a 1998
Nissan, $19,000; a home in Nigeria, $100,000; personal
property, $60,000; and other debts (credit cards), $8,000.
The beneficiary, Mary Idongesit Bassey, is a native of
Zaire and citizen of Nigeria. Mary was born in Kinshasa, Zaire
on January 14, 1983. She currently resides with her mother and
brother in Raleigh, North Carolina. Mary is currently attending
Millbrook High School in Raleigh, North Carolina. The
beneficiary was paroled into the United States on December 18,
1993, at New York, New York for humanitarian reasons and has
remained in the United States since that date.
The beneficiary, Jacob Paul Bassey, is a native of Cameroon
and citizen on Nigeria. Jacob was born in Yaounde, Cameroon on
June 5, 1973. He currently resides with his mother and sister
in Raleigh, North Carolina. Jacob is currently employed as an
Account Executive at Security Education Institute, Inc. in
Durham, North Carolina with an income of about $27,000 a year.
The beneficiary entered the United States at New York, New York
on August 14, 1991 as a student (F-1 visa) and has remained in
the United States since that date. Assets and liabilities
include a 1995 Pontiac, $9,000; and personal property, $20,000.
The beneficiary, Emmanuel Paul Bassey, is a native and
citizen on Nigeria. Emmanuel was born in Uyo, Nigeria, now
called Buea, Cameroon, on July 20, 1970. He currently resides
by himself at 102 B Weatherstone Drive, Chapel Hill, North
Carolina. Emmanuel is currently employed as an Account Manager
at ChildCare Services Association in Chapel Hill, North
Carolina with an income of about $39,000 a year. The
beneficiary entered the United States at New York, New York on
January 8, 1989, as a student (F-1 visa) under the name
Emmanuel Okon Paul, and has remained in the United States since
that date. Assets and liabilities include a 1998 Toyota,
$33,000; personal property, $10,000; and credit card debts,
$2,500.
All family members are beneficiaries of S. 1078. The
beneficiaries have no criminal history in the National Crime
Information Center system, and at this time, investigative
inquiries from the CIA and FBI are still pending. If positive
information indicated, a copy of the response will be forwarded
for review.