[110th Congress Public Law 382]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]


[DOCID: f:publ382.110]

[[Page 122 STAT. 4087]]

Public Law 110-382
110th Congress

                                 An Act


 
   To establish a liaison with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 
     United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to expedite 
naturalization applications filed by members of the Armed Forces and to 
 establish a deadline for processing such applications. <<NOTE: Oct. 9, 
                          2008 -  [S. 2840]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Military 
Personnel Citizenship Processing Act. 8 USC 1101 note.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Military Personnel Citizenship 
Processing Act''.
SEC. 2. OFFICE OF THE FBI LIAISON.

    (a) Establishment.--Section 451 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 
(6 U.S.C. 271) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(g) Office of the FBI Liaison.--
            ``(1) In general.--There shall be an Office of the FBI 
        Liaison in the Department of Homeland Security.
            ``(2) Functions.--The Office of the FBI Liaison shall 
        monitor the progress of the functions of the Federal Bureau of 
        Investigation in the naturalization process to assist in the 
        expeditious completion of all such functions pertaining to 
        naturalization applications filed by, or on behalf of--
                    ``(A) current or former members of the Armed Forces 
                under section 328 or 329 of the Immigration and 
                Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1439 and 1440);
                    ``(B) current spouses of United States citizens who 
                are currently serving on active duty in the Armed 
                Forces, who qualify for naturalization under section 
                319(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
                1430(b)), and surviving spouses and children who qualify 
                for naturalization under section 319(d) of such Act; or
                    ``(C) a deceased individual who is eligible for 
                posthumous citizenship under section 329A of the 
                Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1440-1).
            ``(3) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
        to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out 
        this subsection.''.

    (b) Rulemaking.--Not <<NOTE: Deadline. 6 USC 271 note.>> later than 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Homeland Security, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall 
promulgate rules to carry out the amendment made by subsection (a).

[[Page 122 STAT. 4088]]

SEC. 3. DEADLINE FOR PROCESSING AND ADJUDICATING NATURALIZATION 
                    APPLICATIONS FILED BY CURRENT OR FORMER 
                    MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND THEIR SPOUSES 
                    AND CHILDREN.

    (a) In General.--Section 328 of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1439) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(g) Not later than 6 months after receiving an application for 
naturalization filed by a current member of the Armed Forces under 
subsection (a), section 329(a), or section 329A, by the spouse of such 
member under section 319(b), or by a surviving spouse or child under 
section 319(d), United States Citizenship and Immigration Services 
shall--
            ``(1) process and adjudicate the application, including 
        completing all required background checks to the satisfaction of 
        the Secretary of Homeland Security; or
            ``(2) provide the applicant with--
                    ``(A) an explanation for its inability to meet the 
                processing and adjudication deadline under this 
                subsection; and
                    ``(B) an estimate of the date by which the 
                application will be processed and adjudicated.

    ``(h) The <<NOTE: Reports.>> Director of United States Citizenship 
and Immigration Services shall submit an annual report to the 
Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Refugees and the 
Subcommittee on Homeland Security of the Senate and the Subcommittee on 
Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International 
Law and the Subcommittee on Homeland Security of the House of 
Representatives that identifies every application filed under subsection 
(a), subsection (b) or (d) of section 319, section 329(a), or section 
329A that is not processed and adjudicated within 1 year after it was 
filed due to delays in conducting required background checks.''.

    (b) GAO Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to 
Congress that contains the results of a study regarding the average 
length of time taken by United States Citizenship and Immigration 
Services to process and adjudicate applications for naturalization filed 
by members of the Armed Forces, deceased members of the Armed Forces, 
and their spouses and children.

[[Page 122 STAT. 4089]]

SEC. 4. <<NOTE: 6 USC 271 and note; 8 USC 1101 note, 
                    1439.>> SUNSET PROVISION.

    This Act and the amendments made by this Act are repealed on the 
date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

    Approved October 9, 2008.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 2840:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

SENATE REPORTS: No. 110-440 (Comm. on the Judiciary).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 154 (2008):
            Sept. 24, considered and passed Senate.
            Sept. 27, 28, considered and passed House.

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