Speech #1000071836

Mr. Speaker. I support this Administrative Naturalization bill which develops an alternative administrative process for naturalization. Under this bill. immigration judges in addition to Federal and State judges will be allowed to conduct naturalization ceremonies. The purpose of the bill is to help reduce the heavy backlog in the naturalization process which some areas in the country continue to experience. This legislation is identical to legislation passed by the House unanimously last year. It vests the authority of naturalization of individuals becoming U.S. citizens with the Attorney General. In addition. it streamlines the process by allowing the Attorney General to adjudicate naturalization petitions. Backlogs in the naturalization process have developed over a number of years due to an increased volume of applications. The twobranch. quasijudicial process. has been an additional stumbling block. Paperwork trails in the executive branch and the judiciary make the road to citizenship a cumbersome and lengthy process. Currently. a person desiring citizenship files an application with the Immigration and Naturalization Service [INS]. After review of residence requirements and "good moral character" the applicant is interviewed on the third element of qualifying for naturalization and that is the test on English language and U.S. History and Government. Upon passage of the exam. the applicant must file a "petition" with the court and await a date for the ceremony for swearingin. The total process can take as long as 2 years. This legislation will help alleviate these difficulties. I might add that I have had the opportunity and privilege on a number of occasions to address naturalization ceremonies in my own district in Atlanta. While it is a very beautiful ceremony. and one which I think is very beneficial and worthwhile. I can assure the gentleman from Kentucky that in a comparison to waiting through the backlog for such a ceremony. that those individual immigrants that have passed all the necessary tests and prerequisites would much prefer to waive the particular format of that ceremony and get on with the business of becoming a U.S. citizen. In addition. Mr. Speaker. the Congressional Budget Office estimates that enacting H.R. 735 would result in an annual savings to the Federal Government of approximately $1.5 million. The bill passed unanimously in the Subcommittee on Immigration. Refugees and International Law and the full Judiciary Committee. I urge my House colleagues to support this legislation. In closing.