Madam President. I introduce a bill which would seek to correct an inequity in the law which has been of long standing. My bill would amend section 301(a)(7) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (66 Stat. 235. U.S.C. 401). The purpose of this amendment is to remedy an inequity in our laws which operates against certain classes of citizens of the United States who serve abroad in a civilian capacity as officials or employees of the U.S. Government or of a public international organization. including the children of such officials and employees. Under existing law a child born abroad to a U.S. citizen father and an alien mother. or vice versa. does not acquire U.S. citizenship at birth unless the citizen parent. prior to the birth of the child. was physically present In the United States or its outlying possessions for a period or periods totaling not less than 10 years. at least 5 of which were after attaining the age of 14 years. At present. only members of the Armed Forces may count the periods of honorable service abroad in order to meet the physicalpresence requirement of section 301(a) (7) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. There should not be any secondclass citizens amongst the U.S. nationals who serve abroad. This bill would make uniform the provisions of the law for all classes of U.S. nationals serving abroad and would not. as is presently the case. discriminate against nonmilitary personnel.
Keywords matched
Immigration