IA 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. J. RES. 51 
Disapproving the rule submitted to the Congress by U.S. Citizenship and 
Immigration Services requiring certain lawful permanent residents to 
apply for a new Permanent Resident Card. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 24, 2007 
Mr. BACA introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
Disapproving the rule submitted to the Congress by U.S. 
Citizenship and Immigration Services requiring certain 
lawful permanent residents to apply for a new Permanent 
Resident Card. 
Whereas between 1979 and 1989, the Immigration and Natu-
ralization Service of the Department of Justice issued 
Permanent Resident Cards (Form I–551), commonly re-
ferred to as a ‘‘green card’’, without expiration dates to 
aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the 
United States; 
Whereas in August 1989, the Immigration and Naturaliza-
tion Service began issuing new cards with a 10-year expi-
ration date and required permanent resident aliens to 
apply periodically for a new card; 
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•HJ 51 IH 
Whereas U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services of the 
Department of Homeland Security has proposed a rule to 
require lawful permanent residents issued cards between 
1979 and 1989 to apply for a new Permanent Resident 
Card (Form I–551) during a 120-day filing period; 
Whereas the rule proposes that affected lawful permanent 
residents file an Application to Replace Lawful Perma-
nent Residence Card (Form I–90) in order to replace 
their current ‘‘green card’’, as well as pay a filing fee and 
a biometric fee for photographs and fingerprints; 
Whereas under the rule, the Secretary of Homeland Security 
would be able to terminate permanent resident cards 
without an expiration date via a notice published in the 
Federal Register following the 120-day replacement pe-
riod; 
Whereas any lawful permanent resident 18 years of age or 
older is required to carry a valid permanent resident 
card, and failure to do so can result in a fine or impris-
onment; 
Whereas lawful permanent residents with cards subject to 
termination who do not read the Federal Register may 
not know about the replacement requirement, and may 
unknowingly continue to carry an invalid card; 
Whereas U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has not 
provided adequate notice to affected aliens or justified 
the short 120-day filing period; 
Whereas U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has suf-
fered from a lack of transparency and stability in its op-
erations and policy development; 
Whereas the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services rule 
will affect 750,000 permanent residents; and 
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•HJ 51 IH 
Whereas the mechanism for terminating affected green cards 
via notice in the Federal Register alone is unjust, given 
that failure to comply with the replacement requirements 
can result in a fine, imprisonment, or possible removal: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
That the Congress disapproves the rule submitted by U.S. 
Citizenship and Immigration Services of the Department 
of Homeland Security relating to a requirement that aliens 
lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United 
States, and issued a Permanent Resident Card (Form I– 
551) between 1979 and 1989, apply for a new card during 
a 120-day filing period, and such rule shall have no force 
or effect. 
Æ 
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