Speech #1020030980

To reward this service. which results in an unique bond with our country. the Congress has. among other things. made it easier for foreign veterans to become American citizens following their competing 3 years of active duty service. However. some foreign vets were unable to complete 3 years of service In our military due to serviceconnected Injuries or disabilities. As a result. the Immigration and Naturalization Service may deny these individuals requests for citizenship as a direct consequence of their serviceconnected Injuries or disabilities. In addition to this shocking practice. nonctizen veterans of our Armed Forces also face another problem. Some of these disabled foreign veterans would like to live and work in the United States. However. the INS can deny them entry into our country as the result of a sensible principle that governs our immigration and naturalization policy. that Is. that entry into the United States Is a privilege which we alone control and that we should not be placed In a position of having to care for the worlds Infirmed. destitute. and disabled. When this policy is applied across the board. however. it has the unintended effect of denying noncitizen veterans who Incurred servicerelated Injuries or disabilities entry into the United States. I believe this practice to be antithetical to the very principle that these individuals voluntarily risked their lives to defend. Mr. Speaker. the legislation that I introduce today addresses both of these problems. My legislation will allow the Immigration and Naturalization Service to disregard certain serviceconnected disabilities when assessing the health status of noncitizen veterans for the purpose of determing their suitability for entry into the United States. My legislation will also allow a veteran who has less than 3 years service to qualify for naturalization. if the veteran was discharged early as the result of a serviceconnected disability. I feel it is Incumbent upon myself at this point to express my strong belief that the other INS requirements for immigration and naturalization such as background checks should continue to apply to foreign veterans of our armed services. In these times of great budgetary constraint. I think its only appropriate that I address the cost of this legislation.