Strengthening American Citizenship Act of 2005

Bill: 109-hr-4168
Sponsor: Rep. Ryun, Jim [R-KS-2]
Introduced: 2005-10-27 in the House
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Allegiance
Awards, medals, prizes
Citizenship
Civics education
Commemorations
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Department of Homeland Security
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Embassies
English language
Federal aid to education
Foundations
Gifts
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Grants-in-aid
Higher education
History
Immigrant education
Immigrants
International Affairs
Law
Naturalization
Oaths
Residence requirements
Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2005-10-27
text: 
Strengthening American Citizenship Act of 2005 - Directs the Chief of the Office of Citizenship of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide grants (not to exceed $500) to assist legal U.S. residents who declare an intent to apply for citizenship in the United States to meet naturalization requirements. 
 
Provides such grants to an accredited institution of higher education or other qualified educational institution for tuition, fees, books, and other educational resources required by the English language course in which the legal resident is enrolled. 
 
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to provide that a legal U.S. resident who demonstrates English fluency will satisfy the residency requirement upon the completion of four (currently, five years) years of continuous U.S. legal residency.
 
Directs the Secretary of DHS to: (1) establish an American citizenship grant program for qualified entities to provide civics, history, and English classes to promote the patriotic integration of prospective citizens; (2) establish the United States Citizenship Foundation to support the functions of the Office of Citizenship; and (3) implement a strategy to enhance public awareness of naturalization ceremonies. 
 
Amends INA to set forth a new oath of allegiance. Directs the Secretary to: (1) incorporate a knowledge and understanding of the oath of allegiance into the history and government citizenship test; and (2) notify the embassy of the country of which a new citizen was a citizen or subject that such citizen has renounced allegiance to that foreign country, and sworn allegiance to the United States. 
 
Establishes a new citizens award program to recognize citizens who: (1) have made an outstanding contribution to the United States; and (2) were naturalized during the ten-year period ending on the date of such recognition.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-02-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims.
action_date: 2006-01-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology.
action_date: 2005-10-27
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-10-27
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-10-27
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-10-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2005-10-27
text: Introduced in House