[House Report 107-129]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
107th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 107-129
======================================================================
FOR THE RELIEF OF RITA MIREMBE REVELL (A.K.A. MARGARET RITA MIREMBE)
_______
July 10, 2001.--Referred to the Private Calendar and ordered to be
printed
_______
Mr. Sensenbrenner, from the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 560]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the
bill (S. 560) for the relief of Rita Mirembe Revell (a.k.a.
Margaret Rita Mirembe), having considered the same, reports
favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the
bill do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
Purpose and Summary.............................................. 1
Background and Need for the Legislation.......................... 1
Hearings......................................................... 2
Committee Consideration.......................................... 2
Committee Oversight Findings..................................... 2
Performance Goals and Objectives................................. 2
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures........................ 3
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate........................ 3
Constitutional Authority Statement............................... 3
Agency Views..................................................... 3
Markup Transcript................................................ 4
Purpose and Summary
S. 560 would allow Rita Mirembe Revell (a.k.a. Margaret
Rita Mirembe) to become a permanent resident of the United
States.
Background and Need for the Legislation
Rita is an orphan from Uganda currently in the United
States on a student visa. She has lived with Dennis Revell and
Maureen Reagan since the age of 8. Mr. Revell and Ms. Reagan
began to financially support the Daughters of Charity
orphanages in 1988. Mr. Revell and Ms. Reagan began financially
supporting Rita when she was 3 years old. After being informed
of the near impossibility of adopting Rita due to Ugandan law,
it was arranged to bring Rita to the U.S. on a student visa
instead. In February of 2000, the Ugandan government relaxed
the process for adoption of children from that country.
Unfortunately, Ms. Reagan has been fighting malignant melanoma
and cannot even fulfill the relaxed requirements now in place.
Mr. Revell and Ms. Reagan would have adopted Rita many years
ago, given the opportunity. Ms. Reagan's medical condition
prohibits her from ever traveling to Uganda to adopt Rita. The
only way Mr. Revell and Ms. Reagan can assure that Rita remains
a part of their family in the United States is through a
private bill.
The combination of Uganda's adoption restrictions early in
their relationship with Rita and Ms. Reagan's subsequent
cancers have made it virtually impossible for Rita to be
adopted under the adoption laws of Uganda and in accordance
with U.S. immigration law. But for these factors, Rita would be
the adopted daughter of the only two people she has ever known
to be her parents.
The uniqueness standard and extreme hardship standard for
approval of private bills have been met through the combined
facts of: 1) Ugandan adoption law prohibiting adoption of Rita
prior to February 2000; 2) Ms. Reagan's medical condition being
prohibitive of fulfilling an adoption now or at anytime in the
future; 3) Mr. Revell and Ms. Reagan's total support of Rita
since the age of 3; and 4) the fact Rita has lived with Mr.
Revell and Ms. Reagan since the age of 8 and they are the only
parents she has ever known.
Hearings
The Committee's Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims held
no hearings on S. 560.
Committee Consideration
On June 6, 2001, the Committee on the Judiciary met in open
session and ordered reported favorably the bill S. 560 without
amendment by voice vote, a quorum being present.
Committee Oversight Findings
In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII 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.
Performance Goals and Objectives
S. 560 does not authorize funding. Therefore, clause 3(c)
of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives is
inapplicable.
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures
Clause 3(c)(2) of House Rule XIII 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(c)(3) 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. 560. That Congressional Budget Office cost
estimate follows:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, June 22, 2001.
Hon. F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., Chairman,
Committee on the Judiciary,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 560, an act for the
relief of Rita Mirembe Revell (a.k.a. Margaret Rita Mirembe).
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.
Sincerely,
Dan L. Crippen, Director.
Enclosure
cc:
Honorable John Conyers Jr.
Ranking Member
S. 560--An act for the relief of Rita Mirembe Revell (a.k.a. Margaret
Rita Mirembe).
S. 560 would grant permanent U.S. residence to Rita Mirembe
Revell. CBO estimates that enacting this legislation would have
no significant impact on the Federal budget. S. 560 could have
a very small effect on fees collected by the Immigration and
Naturalization Service, which are classified as direct
spending, so pay-as-you-go procedures would apply.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Mark Grabowicz,
who can be reached at 226-2860. This estimate was approved by
Robert A. Sunshine, Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
Constitutional Authority Statement
Pursuant to rule XIII, clause 3(d)(1) 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. 560 are as follows:
MEMORANDUM OF INFORMATION FROM IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE
FILES RE: S. 560
The beneficiary, whose correct name is, Margaret Ritah
Mirembe, also known as Rita Mirembe Revell, a native and
citizen of Uganda, was born on an unknown month and day in
1985, in Kampala, the capital of Uganda. She resides with her
guardians, Mr. Dennis Revell and Ms. Maureen Reagan, in Granite
Bay, California. She is currently a freshman at a private
parochial high school in Sacramento. She has no relatives in
the United States. The beneficiary was abandoned in Kampala at
about the age of two and was raised in an orphanage until
February 12, 1994 when the interested parties were granted
custody as her guardians. May 14, 1985 was established as the
beneficiary's birth date based on information available from
the orphanage. She was admitted to the United States on
February 16, 1994 as a student and is currently in status. The
interested parties have filed a petition to adopt the
beneficiary in the Placer County Superior Court of California.
Mr. Dennis Revell, a native and citizen of the United
States, was born on December 24, 1952. He resides in Granite
Bay with his wife and the beneficiary. He obtained a Juris
doctor from Western State University in Fullerton, California,
and is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of
Revell Communications, a public relations corporation, earning
about $52,800 a year.
Ms. Maureen Reagan, a native and citizen of the United
States, was born on January 4, 1941. She is the daughter of
former President Ronald Reagan. She attended Marymount College
in Arlington, Virginia. Ms. Reagan is a well-known national
lecturer, political analyst, talk show host, best selling
author, and advocate for the advancement of women, research and
education on Alzeihmer's disease and Melanoma. Ms. Reagan is
currently undergoing cancer treatment and is convalescing at
home. She earns about $253,000 a year.
The interested parties were married on April 25, 1981 in
Los Angeles, California. They claim assets of about $1,733,225
in real estate holdings, savings, investments and personal
property, and liabilities of about $483,500 a year. There are
no natural children born of the marriage or any previous
marriages.
All national agency checks, as well as fingerprint checks
for the beneficiary and interested parties were negative, with
the exception of Ms. Maureen Reagan who has an FBI record
because she is the daughter of former President Reagan. This
record was also cleared.
Markup Transcript
BUSINESS MEETING
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2001
House of Representatives,
Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC.
The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 11:07 a.m., in
Room 2141, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. F. James
Sensenbrenner [Chairman of the Committee] presiding.
Chairman Sensenbrenner. The Committee will be in order. The
Chair would like to announce what our game plan is for today.
Mr. Conyers has got some back-to-back speeches at noon, so
we will go through the schedule in the order which it appears,
with one exception, until noon, and then we will recess for an
hour and a half for lunch, and I would ask the Members to be
back promptly at 1:30. The exception to the schedule, again, at
Mr. Conyers' request, is that we will move H.R. 1407, which is
the airline antitrust bill, up third on the agenda, ahead of
the two patent bills. So we will do the two private bills, the
airline bill, the two patent bills, the flag amendment and then
the DOJ Authorization Act, and we will stay here until we are
done with this complete schedule.
So the Chair now recognizes the gentleman from
Pennsylvania, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration
and Claims, to make a unanimous consent request on two private
bills. And without objection, the unanimous consents will be
considered en bloc.
Mr. Gekas. Mr. Chairman, the Subcommittee on Immigration
and Claims reports favorably the bill S. 560, and moves its
favorable recommendation to the full House.
Chairman Sensenbrenner. Would you make a unanimous consent
request on the other one, too.
Mr. Gekas. And on the similar request on H.R. 807, and ask
unanimous consent that they be considered together en bloc.
Chairman Sensenbrenner. Without objection, so ordered.
[S. 560 follows:]
Chairman Sensenbrenner. Generally, we have dealt with
private bills by unanimous consent. Is there any objection,
while we do not have a reporting quorum present, without
objection, the previous question is ordered on both bills
pending the arrival of a reporting quorum.
Hearing none, so ordered.
The Chair now notes the presence of a reporting quorum. The
Committee now returns to the pending unfinished business, upon
which the previous question was ordered on H.R. 807 and S. 560,
which have been considered en bloc.
The previous question has already been ordered. All of
those in favor of reporting the bill favorably will signify by
saying aye.
Those opposed, no.
The ayes appear to have it. The ayes have it, and the
motion to report favorably is agreed to. All Members will be
entitled to place statements in the record on the two private
bills.
Ms. Jackson Lee. Mr. Chairman?
Chairman Sensenbrenner. For what purpose does the
gentlewoman from Texas seek recognition?
Ms. Jackson Lee. To strike the last word.
Chairman Sensenbrenner. We have no pending question before
the Committee.
Ms. Jackson Lee. Well, parliamentary inquiry. I wanted to
comment----
Chairman Sensenbrenner. State your inquiry.
Ms. Jackson Lee. The inquiry is on bill S. 560. That is a
private bill and the bill that we just passed, which was
another private bill, and I am losing the number right now.
Chairman Sensenbrenner. H.R. 807 is the number.
Ms. Jackson Lee. 807, correct. When you called it up, I was
delayed, and I want to make sure that the support, in addition
to one's vote, can be acknowledged by submitting statements
into the record.
Chairman Sensenbrenner. The Chair just said that without
objection all Members may insert statements in the record
relative to the two private bills just----
Ms. Jackson Lee. Then I add my support for those bills and
will submit statements into the record.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Jackson Lee follows:]
Prepared Statement of the Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee, a
Representative in Congress From the State of Texas
Thank you Mr. Chairman. I support private bill S. 560 which will
provide Rita Mirembe Revell with lawful permanent resident status. The
unique facts of this case have clearly shown that the only way that Mr.
Revell and Ms. Reagan can assure Rita remains a part of their family in
the United States is through a private bill.
Rita Mirembe Revell is an orphan from Uganda currently in the
United States. Mr. Revell and Ms. Reagan specifically began to
financially support Rita when she was three years old. Mr. Revell and
Ms. Reagan intended to adopt Rita; however, due to rigid adoption law
in Uganda, they were unable to do so. Nonetheless, Rita came to the
United States on a temporary visa and has lived with Dennis Revell and
Maureen Reagan (daughter of Ronald Reagan) since the age of eight.
In February of 2000, the Ugandan government relaxed the process for
adoption of children. However, Ms. Reagan has been fighting malignant
melanoma and cannot even fulfill the relaxed requirements now in place
since she is unable to travel to Uganda.
The combination of Uganda's adoption restrictions early in their
relationship with Rita and Ms. Reagan's subsequent cancer have made it
virtually impossible for Rita to be adopted under the adoption laws of
Uganda and in accordance with US immigration law. The only way Mr.
Revel and Ms. Reagan can assure that Rita remains a part of their
family in the United States is through this private bill.
Thank you Mr. Chairman. I yield back the balance of my time.
Thank you.