Speech #900204440

KING of New York. I express my appreciation to the distinguished chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary [Mr. CELLERI. the chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration . and all the members of the Judiciary Committee which reported out this bill. The pending bill represents a compromise. which I accepted in the interest of getting some immediate legislation on this subject. even though not as good as I would like. passed here in the House so as to get a bill to the other body where It might be improved by the distinguished Committee on the Judiciary. In the second session of the 89th Congress. on March 9. 1966. I introduced a bill. H.R. 13436. on this subject after taking up the matter of expediting citizenship for our Vietnam veterans with the Immigration and Naturalization Service of the Department of Justice. Subsequently. and on the opening day of the first session of this Congress. to wit: January 10. 1967. I again introduced a bill which became known as H.R. 1. to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act and for other purposes. This bill. H.R. 1. is. in my humble estimation. a far superior bill to H.R. 15147. and would expedite citizenship to all Vietnam veterans. I would like to see the other body pass a bill similar to the bill. H.R. 1. together with an additional section which would waive the payment of the naturalization fee for filing a petition for naturalization or issuing a certificate of naturalization upon the alien war veterans admission to citizenship. This section would read as follows: Notwithstanding any other provision of law. no clerk of a United States court shall charge or collect a naturalization fee from an allen. who has served in the military. air or naval forces of the United States during the period. and in the area. described In section 1 of this Act and who is applying for naturalization under section 329 of the Immigration and Nationality Act as amended by this Act. for filing a petition for naturalization or issuing a certificate of naturalization upon his admission to citizenship. and no clerk of any State court shall charge or collect any fee for such services unless the laws of the State require such charge to be made. in which case nothing more than the portion of the fee required to be paid to -the State shall be charged or collected. A report of all transactions under this section shall be made to the Attorney General as In the case of other reports required of clerks of courts by Title III of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Under the permission heretofore .granted me. I include the contents of the bill. H.R. 1. which would fairly apply to all Vietnam war veterans: H.R. 1 A bill to amend .the Immigration and Nationality Act and for other purposes Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of Amertea in Congress assembled. That (a) section 101(d) (1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. as amended (8 U.S.C. 1101). is hereby amended by Inserting Immediately after "July 1. 1955." the following: "or after January 1. 1963.". (b) Section 101(d) (2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. as amended (8 U.S.C. 1101). is hereby amended (1) by striking out "and (D)" and Inserting in lieu thereof "(D) ". and (2) by inserting Immediately after "July 1. 1955" the following: ". and (E) the Vietnam hostilities relates to the period subsequent to January 1. 1963". (c) Section 329(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1440) is amended by inserting after "July 1. 1955." the following: "or during a period beginning (d) Section 329(b) (4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1440) Is hereby amended by Inserting after "July 1. 1955." the following: "or during a period beginning In conclusion. Mr. Speaker.