Mr. Speaker. I rise in strong support of House Joint Resolution 613 which allows prospective U.S. citizens from around the country to be sworn in at a special naturalization ceremony on Ellis Island on Liberty Weekend. It is indeed fitting that residents from all of our States and territories participate in the centennial celebration of the Statue of Liberty. Current law prohibits the naturalization of persons in a State unless they are residents of that State. Consequently. any person who does not live in New York cannot now participate in the Ellis Island ceremony. Since the Statue of Liberty belongs to all Americans. the sponsors of this bill believe it is appropriateindeed essentialto broaden the base for participation in the ceremony. To accomplish this. my colleagues and I have introduced House Joint Resolution 613. In short. it authorizes the Governors of each of the 50 States. as well as Puerto Rico. the Virgin Islands and Guam and the Mayor of the District of Columbia to designate 2 persons from their jurisdiction to become naturalized in the unique ceremony to take place on Ellis Island during Liberty Weekend. This legislation has been enthusiastically embraced by the Department of Justice. In fact. the departmental report was forthcoming even before the resolution was introduced.
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