We have drawn heavily on the contributions of both bills in formulating H.R. 639 as it is now presented to the House. This bill has the strong support of the administration and of the Navy. The legislation would provide special immigrant status for those individuals whose enlistment into the U.S. Armed Forces took place outside of the United States. Generally speaking. this enlistment only occurs in the United States but there are exceptions which apply to the Philippines by treaty. the Marshall Islands and the Federate States of Micronesia by agreement. Currently 3.024 Filipinos and 10 Individuals from the freely associated states are permitted to enroll as members of the U.S. Armed Forces and would be affected by this legislation. Prior to October 15. 1978. these individuals were able to naturalize under section 329 of the Immigration and Nationality Act for active duty service during hostilities. However. upon the declaration and the ending of the period of hostilities applicable to the Vietnam war. that is October 15. 1978. that right to make this application terminated. As a result of the termination of these benefits the naval officers would no longer be able to take advantage of U.S. citizenship when they had enlisted from outside of the United States.
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immigrant Immigration naturalize