Permitting Members of Congress to Administer the Oath of Allegiance to Applicants for Naturalization
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4862) to permit Members of Congress to administer the oath of allegiance to applicants for naturalization, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4862
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE.
(a) Naturalization Authority.--Section 310(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1421(b)) is amended--
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Court Authority'' and inserting ``Authority'';
(2) in paragraph (1)(A)--
(A) by inserting ``, by a Member of, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress,'' before ``or by an eligible court''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following: ``A Senator shall have the authority to administer such oath of allegiance only to individuals who reside in the State the Senator represents. In the case of a Member of the House of Representatives, including a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress, the Member shall have the authority to administer such oath of allegiance only to individuals who reside in the congressional district the Member represents.'';
(3) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following:
``(C) LIMITATIONS ON CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORITY.--
``(i) EXTENT OF AUTHORITY.--The authority under this section of a Member of, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress is limited solely to the administration of the oath of allegiance under section 337(a).
``(ii) PERIOD BEFORE ELECTIONS.--A Member of, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress may not administer the oath of allegiance under section 337(a) during the 90-day period which ends on the date of any election for Federal, State, or local office in which the Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner is a candidate.
``(iii) TIME AND PLACE OF CEREMONY.--A Member of, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress shall administer the oath of allegiance under section 337(a) only at such times and places as the Secretary of Homeland Security may designate.'';
(4) in paragraph (2)(A), in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting ``or a Member of, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress'' after ``a court'';
(5) in paragraph (2)(A)(i), by inserting ``or subject to paragraph (1)(C)(ii), the Member of, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress'' after ``the court'';
(6) in paragraph (2)(A)(ii)(I), by inserting ``or the Member of, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress'' before ``such information'';
(7) in paragraph (2)(A)(ii)(II), by inserting ``or the Member of, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress'' after ``the court''; and
(8) in paragraph (3)(B)--
(A) in the subparagraph heading, by striking ``AUTHORITY OF ATTORNEY GENERAL'' and inserting ``TIMING OF EXCLUSIVE AUTHORITY'';
(B) by inserting ``neither'' after ``Subject to subparagraph (C),'';
(C) by inserting ``nor a Member of, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress'' after ``the Attorney General''; and
(D) by striking ``shall not administer'' and inserting ``shall administer''.
(b) Oath of Renunciation and Allegiance.--Section 337 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1448) is amended--
(1) in the first sentence of subsection (a), by inserting ``, the Member of the House of Representatives, including a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress, who represents the congressional district in which the individual resides, a Senator who represents the State in which the individual resides,'' before ``or a court with jurisdiction'';
(2) in the first sentence of subsection (c)--
(A) by inserting ``(except to the extent that such section limits the authority of a Member of, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress)'' after ``Notwithstanding section 310(b)''; and
(B) by inserting ``, oath administration by the Member of the House of Representatives, including a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress, who represents the congressional district in which the individual resides or a Senator who represents the State in which the individual resides,'' after ``expedited judicial oath administration ceremony'';
(3) in the third sentence of subsection (c), by inserting ``or oath administration by the Member of, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress'' before the period; and
(4) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following: ``The authority under this section of a Member of, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress shall be subject to section 310(b).''.
(c) Certificate of Naturalization; Contents.--Section 338 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1449) is amended by inserting ``, Member of, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress,'' after ``location of the official''.
(d) Functions and Duties of Clerks and Records of Declarations of Intention and Applications for Naturalization.--Section 339 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1450) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(c) In the case of an oath administration by a Member of, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress, the functions and duties of clerks of courts described in this section shall be undertaken by the Secretary of Homeland Security.''.
SEC. 2. REGULATORY AUTHORITY.
Not later than the date that is 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall issue regulations implementing the amendments made by this Act.
SEC. 3. CLERICAL AMENDMENT.
(a) In General.--Each of sections 310, 337, 338, and 339 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1421, 1448, 1449, and 1450) is amended by striking ``Attorney General'' each place it appears and inserting ``Secretary of Homeland Security''.
(b) Exception.--The amendment made by this section shall not affect the authority of any officer or employee of the Executive Office of Immigration Review (including immigration judges (as defined in section 101(b)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act)) to administer the oath of allegiance under section 337(a).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
GENERAL LEAVE
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and add extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Tennessee?
There was no objection.
Mr. COHEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 4862, introduced by Mr. Serrano of New York, will allow Members of Congress to administer the oath of allegiance to naturalizing U.S. citizens.
The naturalization ceremony is a crucial landmark for immigrants. They have waited patiently to immigrate to the United States and have worked hard once they got here and have faithfully fulfilled all their obligations to this country that they have chosen to adopt as their home.
In applying to become U.S. citizens, they have made the choice to become full participating members of our community. Currently, only judges or certain officials in the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, are allowed to administer the oath of allegiance at naturalization ceremonies.
H.R. 4862 would allow Members of Congress to participate meaningfully in these solemn occasions by allowing them to administer the oath of allegiance at naturalization ceremonies. I have attended many. They are wonderful, heartfelt programs; and I think that the oath being given by a recognized public official such as a Member of Congress would mean much to the people that are becoming American citizens.
The bill, as amended, clarifies the role of a Member of Congress, the naturalization process that will be limited to administering the oath of allegiance. Furthermore, it prohibits a Member of Congress from administering the oath of allegiance within 90 days of any election in which he or she is a candidate to prevent even the appearance of any possible undue influence upon the election.
I commend our colleague, José Serrano, for his leadership in introducing this bill and thank Ranking Member Lamar Smith and Immigration Subcommittee Chair Zoe Lofgren for their support of this measure. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
I reserve the balance of my time.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source