Speech #900026990

I am fully aware of the landmark decision rendered by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1964Angelika L. Schneider against Ruskwhich struck down as unconstitutional a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act that takes citizenship away from a naturalized person who returns to live in his native country for 3 years. At the time the Court handed down this decision. I applauded it vigorously and pointed out that the only difference the Framers of the Constitution drew between native born and the naturalized citizen Is that only the native American is eligible to be President. In all other respects. all citizensnative and naturalized alikestand on equal footing. While I was pleased and delighted that this injustice has been wiped off our law booksand my bill. in this respect. simply brings the law into conformity with the Schneider caseI also urged at that time that Congress act to repeal other sections of the law which. in effect. create a secondclass citizenship for our naturalized citizens who are assumed to have less reliability and allegiance to this country than do the native born. The Supreme Court rightly ruled that the rights of citizenship of the native born and of the naturalized person are "of the same dignity and are coextensive." I should point out that this is true in each respect enumerated in my proposed bill. The Constitution does not authorize the Congress to abridge these rights. We should restore them promptly.