Speech #890203332

Mr. President. on April 25. I introduced. for appropriate committee reference. a bill to amend the Immigration and Naturalization Act. allowing any alien who has been inducted into the U.S. Army to reenlist. in the U.S. Regular Army. Under provisions of the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1952. as amended by the Immigration Reform Act of 1965. foreignborn persons without permanent U.S. residence status who are inducted Into the U.S. military forces are prohibited from reenlisting or extending service. My bill would render alien Inductees now in the U.S. military service eligible for reenlistment by waiving this requirement of permanent residence. In addition. my proposal leaves intact the provisions of the Immigration and Naturalization Act that give naturalization rights to persons who satisfy three requirements: First. have served for 3 years in the U.S. Armed Forces. second. were honorably discharged. and. third. filed naturalization papers within 6 months of his separation from the service. Alien GIs under my proposal may qualify for naturalization under these requirements. but my bill would add a fourth requisite: he must first reenlist in the Regular Army of the United States. All the other requirements to citizenship. such as good moral character. are. of course. retained under this proposal. My bill would take care of requests such as those I have received from several citizens of the Philippine Republic who entered the United States as contract laborers for the U.S. Navy at Guam. and one who entered on a visitors permit at Washington. D.C.