Speech #1100065006

They know the language. more than any contractors. and more than any humanitarian workers from the outside. no matter how welltrained they may be or how much expertise they may have. So today. I am introducing legislation. as I did in the last Congress. that would create a "return of talent" visa program. The idea is simple: to allow legal immigrants in the United States to return home to help with reconstruction efforts. without jeopardizing their immigration status. Legal permanent residents will be able to return temporarily to their countries after a conflict or a significant natural disaster to help rebuild. without their time out of the United States affecting their ability to meet the requirements for U.S. citizenship. Under current law. a legal permanent resident who wants to apply for U.S. citizenship is required to be physically present in the United States for at least half of the 5 years immediately preceding the date of filing the naturalization application. This residency requirement could be particularly difficult to meet for those who have family and friends in their countries of origin who are in desperate need of help. and whose skills are especially in demand to help their countries of origin rebuild. for example. teachers. engineers. translators. and health care workers. We should not stand in their way of returning. bringing their talent and expertise home. and helping them help others at a time of greatest need. This legislation would encourage skilled and committed individuals to return to their countries of origin to revive the business. industry. agriculture. education. health and other sectors that have been weakened or destroyed after years of conflict or devastating disasters. The program would apply to immigrants from countries where U.S. Armed Forces have engaged in armed conflict or peacekeeping. or countries where the United Nations Security Council has authorized peacekeeping operations In the past 10 years. Immigrants from countries which received funding from the U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance also would be eligible to participate in the program. Estimates of the number of individuals who could participate in this program are relatively low. For example. the United States admitted 4.749 Afghani and 4.077 Iraqi immigrants in 2005 who are now legal permanent residents eligible to pursue U.S. citizenship. Immigrants from Indonesia numbered 3.924 and Bangladesh. 11.487 in the same year. Yet while the program would have a small impact on the U.S. naturalization process. the contributions of even a few hundred individuals could have a tremendous positive effect on reconstruction work. At this moment the Senate is seized with finding a resolution to the massive and critical question of immigration reform. A return of talent program would fit well with whatever decisions we reach because. simply put. everybody wins: The United States is able to support badly needed rebuilding efforts without increasing foreign aid. immigrants are able to use their skills and resources to help communities without disrupting their path to U.S. citizenship. and communities abroad that are recovering from conflict and disaster receive muchneeded assistance. A return of talent program is an important piece of our overall strategy to stabilize and rebuild countries torn by conflict and devastated by natural disaster. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.