To prescribe the binding oath or affirmation of renunciation and allegiance required to be naturalized as a citizen of the United States, to encourage and support the efforts of prospective citizens of the United States to become citizens, and for other purposes.

SA 3193. Mr. ALEXANDER (for himself, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Isakson, Mr.
Cochran, Mr. Santorum, Mr. Frist, Mr. McConnell, and Mr. McCain)
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 3192
submitted by Mr. Specter (for himself, Mr. Leahy, and Mr. Hagel) to the
bill S. 2454, to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide
for comprehensive reform and for other purposes; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SECTION 644. STRENGTHENING AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP.

(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the
``Strengthening American Citizenship Act of 2006''.
(b) Definition.--In this section, the term ``Oath of
Allegiance'' means the binding oath (or affirmation) of
allegiance required to be naturalized as a citizen of the
United States, as prescribed in section 337(e) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act, as added by subsection
(h)(1)(B).
(c) English Fluency.--
(1) Education grants.--
(A) Establishment.--The Chief of the Office of Citizenship
of the Department (referred to in this paragraph as the
``Chief'') shall establish a grant program to provide grants
in an amount not to exceed $500 to assist legal residents of
the United States who declare an intent to apply for
citizenship in the United States to meet the requirements
under section 312 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1423).
(B) Use of funds.--Grant funds awarded under this paragraph
shall be paid directly to an accredited institution of higher
education or other qualified educational institution (as
determined by the Chief) for tuition, fees, books, and other
educational resources required by a course on the English
language in which the legal resident is enrolled.
(C) Application.--A legal resident desiring a grant under
this paragraph shall submit an application to the Chief at
such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such
information as the Chief may reasonably require.
(D) Priority.--If insufficient funds are available to award
grants to all qualified applicants, the Chief shall give
priority based on the financial need of the applicants.
(E) Notice.--The Secretary, upon relevant registration of a
legal resident with the Department, shall notify such legal
resident of the availability of grants under this paragraph
for legal residents who declare an intent to apply for United
States citizenship.
(2) Faster citizenship for english fluency.--Section 316 (8
U.S.C. 1427) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(g) A legal resident of the United States who
demonstrates English fluency, in accordance with regulations
prescribed by the Secretary of Homeland Security, in
consultation with the Secretary of State, will satisfy the
residency requirement under subsection (a) upon the
completion of 4 years of continuous legal residency in the
United States.''.
(3) Savings provision.--Nothing in this subsection shall be
construed to--
(A) modify the English language requirements for
naturalization under section 312(a)(1) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1423(a)(1)); or
(B) influence the naturalization test redesign process of
the Office of Citizenship (except for the requirement under
subsection (h)(2)).
(d) American Citizenship Grant Program.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a
competitive grant program to provide financial assistance
for--
(A) efforts by entities (including veterans and patriotic
organizations) certified by the Office of Citizenship to
promote the patriotic integration of prospective citizens
into the American way of life by providing civics, history,
and English as a second language courses, with a specific
emphasis on attachment to principles of the Constitution of
the United States, the heroes of American history (including
military heroes), and the meaning of the Oath of Allegiance;
and
(B) other activities approved by the Secretary to promote
the patriotic integration of prospective citizens and the
implementation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1101 et seq.), including grants--
(i) to promote an understanding of the form of government
and history of the United States; and
(ii) to promote an attachment to the principles of the
Constitution of the United States and the well being and
happiness of the people of the United States.
(2) Acceptance of gifts.--The Secretary may accept and use
gifts from the United States Citizenship Foundation, if the
foundation is established under subsection (e), for grants
under this subsection.
(3) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out
this subsection.
(e) Funding for the Office of Citizenship.--
(1) Authorization.--The Secretary, acting through the
Director of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration
Services, is authorized to establish the United States
Citizenship Foundation (referred to in this subsection as the
``Foundation''), an organization duly incorporated in the
District of Columbia, exclusively for charitable and
educational purposes to support the functions of the Office
of Citizenship.
(2) Dedicated funding.--
(A) In general.--Not less than 1.5 percent of the funds
made available to the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration
Services (including fees and appropriated funds) shall be
dedicated to the functions of the Office of Citizenship,
which shall include the patriotic integration of prospective
citizens into--
(i) American common values and traditions, including an
understanding of American history and the principles of the
Constitution of the United States; and
(ii) civic traditions of the United States, including the
Pledge of Allegiance, respect for the flag of the United
States, and voting in public elections.
(B) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
dedicating increased funds to the Office of Citizenship
should not result in an increase in fees charged by the
Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.
(3) Gifts.--
(A) To foundation.--The Foundation may solicit, accept, and
make gifts of money and other property in accordance with
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(B) From foundation.--The Office of Citizenship may accept
gifts from the Foundation to support the functions of the
Office.
(4) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated such

[[Page S2663]]

sums as may be necessary to carry out the mission of the
Office of Citizenship, including the functions described in
paragraph (2)(A).
(f) Restriction on Use of Funds.--No funds appropriated to
carry out a program under this subsection (d) or (e) may be
used to organize individuals for the purpose of political
activism or advocacy.
(g) Reporting Requirement.--
(1) In general.--The Chief of the Office of Citizenship
shall submit an annual report to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, the Committee
on the Judiciary of the Senate, the Committee on Education
and the Workforce of the House of Representatives, and the
Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives.
(2) Contents.--The report submitted under paragraph (1)
shall include--
(A) a list of the entities that have received funds from
the Office of Citizenship during the reporting period under
this section and the amount of funding received by each such
entity;
(B) an evaluation of the extent to which grants received
under this section successfully promoted an understanding
of--
(i) the English language; and
(ii) American history and government, including the heroes
of American history, the meaning of the Oath of Allegiance,
and an attachment to the principles of the Constitution of
the United States; and
(C) information about the number of legal residents who
were able to achieve the knowledge described under paragraph
(2) as a result of the grants provided under this section.
(h) Oath or Affirmation of Renunciation and Allegiance.--
(1) Revision of oath.--Section 337 (8 U.S.C. 1448) is
amended--
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ``under section 310(b)
an oath'' and all that follows through ``personal moral
code.'' and inserting ``under section 310(b), the oath (or
affirmation) of allegiance prescribed in subsection (e).'';
and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(e)(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the oath (or
affirmation) of allegiance prescribed in this subsection is
as follows: `I take this oath solemnly, freely, and without
any mental reservation. I absolutely and entirely renounce
all allegiance to any foreign state or power of which I have
been a subject or citizen. My fidelity and allegiance from
this day forward are to the United States of America. I will
bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution and laws
of the United States, and will support and defend them
against all enemies, foreign and domestic. I will bear arms,
or perform noncombatant military or civilian service, on
behalf of the United States when required by law. This I do
solemnly swear, so help me God.'.
``(2) If a person, by reason of religious training and
belief (or individual interpretation thereof) or for other
reasons of good conscience, cannot take the oath prescribed
in paragraph (1)--
``(A) with the term `oath' included, the term `affirmation'
shall be substituted for the term `oath'; and
``(B) with the phrase `so help me God' included, the phrase
`so help me God' shall be omitted.
``(3) If a person shows by clear and convincing evidence to
the satisfaction of the Attorney General that such person, by
reason of religious training and belief, cannot take the oath
prescribed in paragraph (1)--
``(A) because such person is opposed to the bearing of arms
in the Armed Forces of the United States, the words `bear
arms, or' shall be omitted; and
``(B) because such person is opposed to any type of service
in the Armed Forces of the United States, the words `bear
arms, or' and `noncombatant military or' shall be omitted.
``(4) As used in this subsection, the term `religious
training and belief'--
``(A) means a belief of an individual in relation to a
Supreme Being involving duties superior to those arising from
any human relation; and
``(B) does not include essentially political, sociological,
or philosophical views or a merely personal moral code.
``(5) Any reference in this title to `oath' or `oath of
allegiance' under this section shall be deemed to refer to
the oath (or affirmation) of allegiance prescribed under this
subsection.''.
(2) History and government test.--The Secretary shall
incorporate a knowledge and understanding of the meaning of
the Oath of Allegiance into the history and government test
given to applicants for citizenship.
(3) Notice to foreign embassies.--Upon the naturalization
of a new citizen, the Secretary, in cooperation with the
Secretary of State, shall notify the embassy of the country
of which the new citizen was a citizen or subject that such
citizen has--
(A) renounced allegiance to that foreign country; and
(B) sworn allegiance to the United States.
(4) Effective date.--The amendments made by paragraph (1)
shall take effect on the date that is 6 months after the date
of enactment of this Act.
(i) Establishment of New Citizens Award Program.--
(1) Establishment.--There is established a new citizens
award program to recognize citizens who--
(A) have made an outstanding contribution to the United
States; and
(B) were naturalized during the 10-year period ending on
the date of such recognition.
(2) Presentation authorized.--
(A) In general.--The President is authorized to present a
medal, in recognition of outstanding contributions to the
United States, to citizens described in paragraph (1).
(B) Maximum number of awards.--Not more than 10 citizens
may receive a medal under this subsection in any calendar
year.
(3) Design and striking.--The Secretary of the Treasury
shall strike a medal with suitable emblems, devices, and
inscriptions, to be determined by the President.
(4) National medals.--The medals struck pursuant to this
subsection are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of
title 31, United States Code.
(j) Naturalization Ceremonies.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the
Director of the National Park Service, the Archivist of the
United States, and other appropriate Federal officials, shall
develop and implement a strategy to enhance the public
awareness of naturalization ceremonies.
(2) Venues.--In developing the strategy under this
subsection, the Secretary shall consider the use of
outstanding and historic locations as venues for select
naturalization ceremonies.
(3) Reporting requirement.--The Secretary shall submit an
annual report to Congress that includes--
(A) the content of the strategy developed under this
subsection; and
(B) the progress made towards the implementation of such
strategy.
______