Date: 2003-09-17
Speaker: LINDA T. SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding me this time. Throughout the United States history of armed conflict. noncitizens have worn our military uniforms and fought in our battles. In fact. one of my uncles served in the Korean War while a legal permanent resident. Today. approximately 3 percent of our military are legal permanent residents. but not citizens. Of that 3 percent. more than 37.000 noncitizen soldiers are currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces. Many of the U.S. casualties in Operation Iraqi Freedom and many of the soldiers who continue to risk their lives to bring stability to Iraq are noncitizens. I am a strong supporter of measures that provide opportunities for legal permanent residents serving in our military to become U.S. citizens. These individuals are making enormous sacrifices. Without being citizens and without having the protection that that status gives them. these immigrant men and women are willing to risk their own lives to defend this Nation. The least we can do is give them something in return. What this motion to instruct does is instruct the conferees to accept the Senate provisions that expedite the naturalization process for members serving in the U.S. military and the selected reserves. The Senate provision also protects spouses. children. and parents of soldiers killed in action by preserving their ability to file for permanent residence in the United States. The provisions are an effective way to show those noncitizens serving in our Armed Services that their efforts are appreciated. The provisions provide noncitizen soldiers with the opportunity to apply for citizenship after 2 years of military service instead of the 3year requirement currently in law. The provisions waive naturalization fees and provide for naturalization proceeds to take place overseas. It also allows for the spouse. children. and parents of legal permanent re5ident soldiers killed in action to apply for citizenship. I am pleased that the Senate provisions deem the parents of soldiers killed in action to petition for immediate family status. When the House version of this bill was considered. I was concerned that parents of legal permanent resident soldiers killed in combat were not eligible for citizenship if they were outside the United States at the time their child was killed. Those same parents would be eligible if they were here in tie United States and it made no sense. A parent is a parent whether they happen to have gone to their home country for a short time or whether they are in the process of waiting for a visa application renewal or whether some other circumstance prevented them from being in the United States when their child was killed in combat. I am pleased the Senate provision of this bill made these provisions an important part of their bill. Again. I support the motion to instruct conferees on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and benefit noncitizens who are serving in our Armed Services and protecting the freedoms that we hold so dear.