To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to change the requirements for naturalization to citizenship through service in the Armed Forces of the United States.

April 11, 2003

Mr. PUTNAM introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to change the requirements for naturalization to citizenship through service in the Armed Forces of the United States.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. PRIORITY CONSIDERATION OF APPLICATIONS FOR NATURALIZATION THROUGH SERVICE IN THE ARMED FORCES.

(a) IN GENERAL- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that applications for naturalization through service in the Armed Forces of the United States under sections 328, 329, and 329A shall be expedited to the greatest extent possible and shall be given priority consideration over all other applications for naturalization by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.

(b) VERIFICATION OF MILITARY RECORDS- The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that verifications of military records required for the consideration of application for naturalization through service in the Armed Forces of the United States under sections 328, 329, and 329A of the Immigration and Nationality Act are provided as expeditiously as possible.

SEC. 2. REQUIREMENTS FOR NATURALIZATION TO CITIZENSHIP THROUGH SERVICE IN THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES.

(a) Period of Required Service Reduced to 1 Year- Section 328(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1439(a)) is amended by striking `three' and inserting `one'.

(b) PROHIBITION ON IMPOSITION OF FEES RELATING TO NATURALIZATION- Section 328(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1439(b)) is amended--

(1) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (3) and inserting `; and'; and

(2) by adding after paragraph (3) the following:

`(4) notwithstanding any other provision of law, no fee shall be charged or collected from the applicant for filing an application under subsection (a) or issuing a certificate of naturalization upon admission to citizenship, and no clerk of any State court shall charge or collect any fee for such services unless the laws of the State require such charge to be made, in which case nothing more than the portion of the fee required to be paid to the State shall be charged or collected.'.

(c) CONDUCT OF NATURALIZATION PROCEEDINGS OVERSEAS FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Defense, shall ensure that any applications, interviews, filings, oaths, ceremonies, or other proceedings under title III of the Immigration and Nationality Act relating to naturalization of members of the Armed Forces are available through United States embassies and consulates and, as practicable, United States military installations overseas.

END