I

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 574

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for less restrictive

standards for naturalization as a citizen of the United States for certain

categories of persons.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FEBRUARY 4, 1997

Mrs. MINK of Hawaii (for herself, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. PASTOR, Mr.

SERRANO, Mr. STARK, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. DELLUMS,

Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mrs. MEEK of Florida, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ,

Mr. GUTIERREZ, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island, Mr. LEWIS

of Georgia, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. TORRES, Ms. MCKINNEY,

Mr. OLVER, and Mr. JEFFERSON) introduced the following bill; which

was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide

for less restrictive standards for naturalization as a citizen of the United States for certain categories of persons.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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1 SECTION 1. LESS RESTRICTIVE STANDARDS FOR NATU2 RALIZATION AS A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED

3 STATES FOR CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF PER4 SONS.

5 The Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101

6 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 322 the fol7 lowing:

8 ‘‘NATURALIZATION OF PERSONS WHO HAVE RESIDED IN

9 THE UNITED STATES FOR 20 YEARS, ARE ELIGIBLE

10 TO RECEIVE SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS, ARE UNIT11 ED STATES VETERANS, OR HAVE ATTAINED 70

12 YEARS OF AGE

13 ‘‘SEC. 323. (a) The requirements in sections 312 and

14 316 shall not apply to the following persons applying for

15 naturalization as a citizen of the United States:

16 ‘‘(1) A person who has resided in the United

17 States as a lawful permanent resident for at least 20

18 years.

19 ‘‘(2) A person who is a lawful permanent resi20 dent of the United States and who has been accred21 ited by the Social Security Administration with 40

22 quarters of coverage under title II of the Social Se23 curity Act.

24 ‘‘(3) A person who is a lawful permanent resi25 dent of the United States and who is a veteran, as
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1 defined in section 101(2) of title 38, United States

2 Code.

3 ‘‘(4) A person who is at least 70 years old and

4 has resided in the United States as a lawful perma5 nent resident for at least 5 years.

6 ‘‘(b) A person described in subsection (a) shall not

7 be eligible for naturalization as a citizen of the United

8 States unless the person is—

9 ‘‘(1) of good moral character;

10 ‘‘(2) attached to the principles of the Constitu11 tion of the United States; and

12 ‘‘(3) well disposed to the good order and happi13 ness of the United States.

14 ‘‘(c) A person who has been convicted of a crime pun15 ishable by imprisonment for more than 12 months shall

16 not be eligible under this section for naturalization as a

17 citizen of the United States.

18 ‘‘(d) Section 310(b)(1)(B) shall not apply with re19 spect to a person naturalized as a citizen of the United

20 States pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.

21 ‘‘(e) An applicant for naturalization under this sub22 section may be administered the oath of allegiance under

23 section 337(a) by any district court of the United States,

24 without regard to the residence of the applicant.’’.
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1 SEC. 2. CLERICAL AMENDMENT.

2 The table of contents of the Immigration and Nation3 ality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) is amended by inserting

4 after the item relating to section 322 the following:

‘‘Sec. 323. Naturalization of persons who have resided in the United States for

20 years, are eligible to receive social security benefits, are

United States veterans, or have attained 70 years of age.’’.

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