Mr. President. I rise today in strong support of House Joint Resolution 613. to allow qualified residents of all 50 States to participate in the naturalization ceremonies on Ellis Island scheduled during the Statue of Liberty centennial celebration this July. As we all know. the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island are monuments which belong to all Americans. native born and naturalized. Ellis Island served as the principal immigration station for the United States from 1892 to 1954. During its years of peak operation. from 1892 to 1928. more than 15 million immigrants passed through its gates in New York. Of those millions. many stayed in New York City and New York State. but many more moved on to populate every State and territory in America. Were we not to pass this measure. only those qualified for naturalization within the jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court serving the Bronx and Manhattan would be eligible to be sworn in on Ellis Island. As we celebrate the centennial of the Statue of Liberty this summer. we celebrate as a nation.
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