Speech #1030141541

Mr. Speaker. today I. along with five of my colleagues am introducing legislation. the Hmong Veterans Naturalization Act. which would modify certain naturalization requirements for Hmong veterans who served alongside United States Forces in the Vietnam war. The Hmong Veterans Naturalization Act recognizes the extreme sacrifice made by thousands of Hmong and other Laotian highland groups who served in special guerrdla units In the Vietnam war from 1960 to 1975. Recruited. trained. and funded by the CIA. these units included men. women. and children. some as young as 10 years old. Between 10.000 and 20.000 Hmong were killed in combat and over 100.000 had to flee to refugee camps to survive. Time and again. they laid down their lives to save and protect Americans. The Hmong stood by the United States at a crucial time in our history. now we have an opportunity to repay that loyalty. While it is clear that the Hmong served bravely and sacrificed dearly in the Vietnam war. many of those who did survive and made it to the United States are separated from other family members and are having a difficult time adjusting to life here. Fortunately there is something we can do to speed up the process of family reunification and ease the adjustment of Hmong into U.S. society. at no cost to the Federal Government. Few of those Hmong in the United States who served in the special units or their spouses. have been successful in passing the citizenship test. My bill makes the attainment of citizenship easier for those who served in the special guerrilla units by waiving the English language and residency tests. The greatest obstacle for the Hmong in becoming a citizen is passing the English test. Written characters for Hmong have only been introduced in recent years. and whatever chances most Hmong. who served. may have had to learn a written language were disrupted by the war. This bill would also waive the residency requirement for those who served in order to speed up the process of family reunification. Current law permits aliens or noncitizen nationals who served honorably during World War I. World War II. the Korean conflict. and the Vietnam war to be naturalized regardless of age. period of residence or physical presence in the United States. There is a wellestablished precedent of modifying naturalization requirement for military service. recently reaffirmed by passage of the Filipino Scouts legislation in the immigration bill passed by Congress in 1990. The Hmong served the United States for 16 years. They suffered a tremendous loss of life and homeland.