Strengthening American Citizenship Act of 2005 - Directs the Chief of the Office of Citizenship of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide grants (not to exceed $500) to assist legal U.S. residents who declare an intent to apply for citizenship in the United States to meet naturalization requirements.
Provides such grants to an accredited institution of higher education or other qualified educational institution for tuition, fees, books, and other educational resources required by the English language course in which the legal resident is enrolled.
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to provide that a legal U.S. resident who demonstrates English fluency will satisfy the residency requirement upon the completion of four (currently, five years) years of continuous U.S. legal residency.
Directs the Secretary of DHS to: (1) establish an American citizenship grant program for qualified entities to provide civics, history, and English classes to promote the patriotic integration of prospective citizens; (2) establish the United States Citizenship Foundation to support the functions of the Office of Citizenship; and (3) implement a strategy to enhance public awareness of naturalization ceremonies.
Amends INA to set forth a new oath of allegiance. Directs the Secretary to: (1) incorporate a knowledge and understanding of the oath of allegiance into the history and government citizenship test; and (2) notify the embassy of the country of which a new citizen was a citizen or subject that such citizen has renounced allegiance to that foreign country, and sworn allegiance to the United States.
Establishes a new citizens award program to recognize citizens who: (1) have made an outstanding contribution to the United States; and (2) were naturalized during the ten-year period ending on the date of such recognition.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1815 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1815
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to prescribe the binding
oath or affirmation of renunciation and allegiance required to be
naturalized as a citizen of the United States, to encourage and support
the efforts of prospective citizens of the United States to become
citizens, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 4, 2005
Mr. Alexander (for himself and Mr. Cornyn) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to prescribe the binding
oath or affirmation of renunciation and allegiance required to be
naturalized as a citizen of the United States, to encourage and support
the efforts of prospective citizens of the United States to become
citizens, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Strengthening American Citizenship
Act of 2005''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Oath of allegiance.--The term ``Oath of Allegiance''
means the binding oath (or affirmation) of allegiance required
to be naturalized as a citizen of the United States, as
prescribed in subsection (e) of section 337 of the Immigration
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1448(e)), as added by section
301(a)(2).
(2) Secretary.--Except as otherwise provided, the term
``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Homeland Security.
TITLE I--LEARNING ENGLISH
SEC. 101. ENGLISH FLUENCY.
(a) Education Grants.--
(1) Establishment.--The Chief of the Office of Citizenship
of the Department of Homeland Security (referred to in this
subsection as the ``Chief'') shall establish a grant program to
provide grants in an amount not to exceed $500 to assist legal
residents of the United States who declare an intent to apply
for citizenship in the United States to meet the requirements
under section 312 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1423).
(2) Use of funds.--Grant funds awarded under this
subsection shall be paid directly to an accredited institution
of higher education or other qualified educational institution
(as determined by the Chief) for tuition, fees, books, and
other educational resources required by a course on the English
language in which the legal resident is enrolled.
(3) Application.--A legal resident desiring a grant under
this subsection shall submit an application to the Chief at
such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information
as the Chief may reasonably require.
(4) Priority.--If insufficient funds are available to award
grants to all qualified applicants, the Chief shall give
priority based on the financial need of the applicants.
(5) Notice.--The Secretary, upon relevant registration of a
legal resident with the Department of Homeland Security, shall
notify such legal resident of the availability of grants under
this subsection for legal residents who declare an intent to
apply for United States citizenship.
(b) Faster Citizenship for English Fluency.--Section 316 of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1427) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``(g) A legal resident of the United States who demonstrates
English fluency, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the
Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of
State, will satisfy the residency requirement under subsection (a) upon
the completion of 4 years of continuous legal residency in the United
States.''.
SEC. 102. SAVINGS PROVISION.
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to--
(1) modify the English language requirements for
naturalization under section 312(a)(1) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1423(a)(1)); or
(2) influence the naturalization test redesign process of
the Office of Citizenship of the United States Citizenship and
Immigration Services (except for the requirement under section
301(b) of this Act).
TITLE II--EDUCATION ABOUT THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE
SEC. 201. AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a competitive grant
program to provide financial assistance for--
(1) efforts by entities (including veterans and patriotic
organizations) certified by the Office of Citizenship of the
Department of Homeland Security to promote the patriotic
integration of prospective citizens into the American way of
life by providing civics, history, and English as a second
language courses, with a specific emphasis on attachment to
principles of the Constitution of the United States, the heroes
of American history (including military heroes), and the
meaning of the Oath of Allegiance; and
(2) other activities approved by the Secretary to promote
the patriotic integration of prospective citizens and the
implementation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1101 et seq.), including grants--
(A) to promote an understanding of the form of
government and history of the United States; and
(B) to promote an attachment to the principles of
the Constitution of the United States and the well
being and happiness of the people of the United States.
(b) Acceptance of Gifts.--The Secretary may accept and use gifts
from the United States Citizenship Foundation, if the foundation is
established under section 202(a), for grants under this section.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.
SEC. 202. FUNDING FOR THE OFFICE OF CITIZENSHIP.
(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of
the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, is authorized to
establish the United States Citizenship Foundation (referred to in this
section as the ``Foundation''), an organization duly incorporated in
the District of Columbia, exclusively for charitable and educational
purposes to support the functions of the Office of Citizenship, which
shall include the patriotic integration of prospective citizens into--
(1) American common values and traditions, including an
understanding of the history of the United States and the
principles of the Constitution of the United States; and
(2) civic traditions of the United States, including the
Pledge of Allegiance, respect for the flag of the United
States, and voting in public elections.
(b) Dedicated Funding.--
(1) In general.--Not less than 1.5 percent of the funds
made available to the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration
Services (including fees and appropriated funds) shall be
dedicated to the functions of the Office of Citizenship, which
shall include the patriotic integration of prospective citizens
into--
(A) American common values and traditions,
including an understanding of American history and the
principles of the Constitution of the United States;
and
(B) civic traditions of the United States,
including the Pledge of Allegiance, respect for the
flag of the United States, and voting in public
elections.
(2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
dedicating increased funds to the Office of Citizenship should
not result in an increase in fees charged by the Bureau of
Citizenship and Immigration Services.
(c) Gifts.--
(1) To foundation.--The Foundation may solicit, accept, and
make gifts of money and other property in accordance with
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(2) From foundation.--The Office of Citizenship may accept
gifts from the Foundation to support the functions of the
Office.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the mission of
the Office of Citizenship, including the patriotic integration of
prospective citizens into--
(1) American common values and traditions, including an
understanding of American history and the principles of the
Constitution of the United States; and
(2) civic traditions of the United States, including the
Pledge of Allegiance, respect for the flag of the United
States, and voting in public elections.
SEC. 203. RESTRICTION ON USE OF FUNDS.
No funds appropriated to carry out a program under this title may
be used to organize individuals for the purpose of political activism
or advocacy.
SEC. 204. REPORTING REQUIREMENT.
The Chief of the Office of Citizenship shall submit to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee
on the Judiciary of the Senate, and the Committee on Education and the
Workforce and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of
Representatives, an annual report that contains--
(1) a list of the entities that have received funds from
the Office of Citizenship during the reporting period under
this title and the amount of funding received by each such
entity;
(2) an evaluation of the extent to which grants received
under this title and title I successfully promoted an
understanding of--
(A) the English language; and
(B) American history and government, including the
heroes of American history, the meaning of the Oath of
Allegiance, and an attachment to the principles of the
Constitution of the United States; and
(3) information about the number of legal residents who
were able to achieve the knowledge described under paragraph
(2) as a result of the grants provided under this title and
title I.
TITLE III--CODIFYING THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
SEC. 301. OATH OR AFFIRMATION OF RENUNCIATION AND ALLEGIANCE.
(a) Revision of Oath.--Section 337 of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1448) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``under section 310(b)
an oath'' and all that follows through ``personal moral code.''
and inserting ``under section 310(b), the oath (or affirmation)
of allegiance prescribed in subsection (e).''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(e)(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the oath (or
affirmation) of allegiance prescribed in this subsection is as follows:
`I take this oath solemnly, freely, and without any mental reservation.
I absolutely and entirely renounce all allegiance to any foreign state
or power of which I have been a subject or citizen. My fidelity and
allegiance from this day forward are to the United States of America. I
will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution and laws of the
United States, and will support and defend them against all enemies,
foreign and domestic. I will bear arms, or perform noncombatant
military or civilian service, on behalf of the United States when
required by law. This I do solemnly swear, so help me God.'.
``(2) If a person, by reason of religious training and belief (or
individual interpretation thereof) or for other reasons of good
conscience, cannot take the oath prescribed in paragraph (1)--
``(A) with the term `oath' included, the term `affirmation'
shall be substituted for the term `oath'; and
``(B) with the phrase `so help me God' included, the phrase
`so help me God' shall be omitted.
``(3) If a person shows by clear and convincing evidence to the
satisfaction of the Attorney General that such person, by reason of
religious training and belief, cannot take the oath prescribed in
paragraph (1)--
``(A) because such person is opposed to the bearing of arms
in the Armed Forces of the United States, the words `bear arms,
or' shall be omitted; and
``(B) because such person is opposed to any type of service
in the Armed Forces of the United States, the words `bear arms,
or' and `noncombatant military or' shall be omitted.
``(4) As used in this subsection, the term `religious training and
belief'--
``(A) means a belief of an individual in relation to a
Supreme Being involving duties superior to those arising from
any human relation; and
``(B) does not include essentially political, sociological,
or philosophical views or a merely personal moral code.
``(5) Any reference in this title to `oath' or `oath of allegiance'
under this section shall be deemed to refer to the oath (or
affirmation) of allegiance prescribed under this subsection.''.
(b) History and Government Test.--The Secretary shall incorporate a
knowledge and understanding of the meaning of the Oath of Allegiance
into the history and government test given to applicants for
citizenship.
(c) Notice to Foreign Embassies.--Upon the naturalization of a new
citizen, the Secretary, in cooperation with the Secretary of State,
shall notify the embassy of the country of which the new citizen was a
citizen or subject that such citizen has--
(1) renounced allegiance to that foreign country; and
(2) sworn allegiance to the United States.
(d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall
take effect on the date that is 6 months after the date of enactment of
this Act.
TITLE IV--CELEBRATING NEW CITIZENS
SEC. 401. ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW CITIZENS AWARD PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--There is established a new citizens award
program to recognize citizens who--
(1) have made an outstanding contribution to the United
States; and
(2) were naturalized during the 10-year period ending on
the date of such recognition.
(b) Presentation Authorized.--
(1) In general.--The President is authorized to present a
medal, in recognition of outstanding contributions to the
United States, to citizens described in subsection (a).
(2) Maximum number of awards.--Not more than 10 citizens
may receive a medal under this section in any calendar year.
(c) Design and Striking.--The Secretary of the Treasury shall
strike a medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be
determined by the President.
(d) National Medals.--The medals struck pursuant to this section
are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United
States Code.
SEC. 402. NATURALIZATION CEREMONIES.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, in
consultation with the Director of the National Park Service, the
Archivist of the United States, and other appropriate Federal
officials, shall develop and implement a strategy to enhance the public
awareness of naturalization ceremonies.
(b) Venues.--In developing the strategy under this section, the
Secretary shall consider the use of outstanding and historic locations
as venues for select naturalization ceremonies.
(c) Reporting Requirement.--The Secretary of Homeland Security
shall annually submit a report to Congress that contains--
(1) the content of the strategy developed under this
section; and
(2) the progress made towards the implementation of such
strategy.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10974-10975)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S13467-13468)
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