I
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7057
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 24, 2008
Mr. Rodriguez introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To establish a liaison with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to expedite naturalization applications filed by members of the Armed Forces and to establish a deadline for processing such applications.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the
Military Personnel Citizenship
Processing Act
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Office of the FBI Liaison
Establishment
Section 451 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 271) is amended—
by striking the Bureau of
each place it appears and inserting United States
; and
by adding at the end the following:
Office of the FBI Liaison
In general
There shall be an Office of the FBI Liaison in United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Functions
The Office of the FBI Liaison shall monitor the progress of the functions of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the naturalization process to assist in the expeditious completion of all such functions pertaining to naturalization applications filed by current or former members of the Armed Forces under section 328 or 329 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1439 and 1440).
Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this subsection.
.
Rulemaking
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, in consultation with the Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services shall promulgate rules to carry out the amendment made by subsection (a)(2).
Deadline for processing and adjudicating naturalization applications filed by members of the Armed Forces
In general
Section 328 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1439) is amended by adding at the end the following:
Not later than 6 months after receiving each application filed under subsection (a) or section 329(a), United States Citizenship and Immigration Services shall—
process and adjudicate the application; or
provide the applicant with—
an explanation for its inability to meet the processing and adjudication deadline under this subsection; and
an estimate of the date by which the application will be processed and adjudicated.
The Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services shall notify the Attorney General of every application filed under subsection (a) or section 329(a) that is not processed and adjudicated within 1 year after it was filed.
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GAO report
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to Congress that contains the results of a study regarding the average length of time taken by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to process and adjudicate applications for naturalization filed by members of the Armed Services.
Annual report
The Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services shall annually submit a report to Congress that sets forth, for each year, the average time between the date on which an application is filed under section 328(a) or section 329(a) and the date on which the application is adjudicated.
Sunset provision
This Act and the amendments made by this Act are repealed on the date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.