File #: Res 1085-2007    Version: * Name: 110th Congress to pass and enact H.R. 1379/S. 795, commonly referred to as “The Citizenship Promotion Act of 2007.”
Type: Resolution Status: Filed
Committee: Committee on Immigration
On agenda: 10/17/2007
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution calling on the 110th Congress to pass and enact H.R. 1379/S. 795, commonly referred to as “The Citizenship Promotion Act of 2007,” which would appropriate funds to the USCIS for the immigration application process.
Sponsors: Joel Rivera, Gale A. Brewer, Lewis A. Fidler, Robert Jackson, Letitia James, G. Oliver Koppell, Annabel Palma
Council Member Sponsors: 7

Res. No. 1085

 

Resolution calling on the 110th Congress to pass and enact H.R. 1379/S. 795, commonly referred to as “The Citizenship Promotion Act of 2007,” which would appropriate funds to the USCIS for the immigration application process.

 

By Council Members Rivera, Brewer, Fidler, Jackson, James, Koppell and Palma

 

Whereas, Citizenship is one of the most desirable benefits that the U.S. government can bestow, and the most important immigration relief that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) can grant; and

Whereas, Nearly one million persons nationally are currently waiting for their priority dates to become available so that their requests for citizenship can be processed; and

Whereas, Immigration officials estimate that 1.8 million people nationwide will apply for citizenship by the end of the calendar year; and

Whereas, On July 30, 2007, USCIS increased fees for immigration applications by an average of 66%, despite having already increased its application fees by $500 over the past nine years; and

Whereas, For individuals diligently making efforts to comply with the laws of the United States and to achieve their goals of becoming Americans, the new fees could end their dreams of attaining citizenship; and

Whereas, With waiting times for citizenship varying throughout the nation and causing an undue burden to fall upon many individuals currently residing in our country, any effort to expedite the naturalization process ought to be considered; and

Whereas, “The Citizenship and Promotion Act of 2007” (“CPA”), introduced in Congress in March by U. S. Senator Barack Obama and U.S. Representative Luis Gutierrez, seeks to address the aforementioned problems and improve the naturalization process in general; and

Whereas, If passed, the CPA would cap the fees associated with the naturalization process at their current level and would authorize Congress to appropriate enough funds to offset the need for future fee hikes, thereby eliminating what is, for many people, an insurmountable obstacle in the naturalization process; and

Whereas, The CPA would also require that background checks on naturalization applicants be completed by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (“FBI”) within 90 days and would require the agency to report and justify any delays that may arise. The bill would also call on the Government Accountability Office (“GAO”) to examine the procedures associated with the FBI’s background investigations for naturalization applicants; and

Whereas, In an effort to increase accessibility to the naturalization process, the CPA would allocate $80 million for citizenship promotion, education and assistance by the USCIS and nonprofit organizations, and would also standardize the administration of the citizenship exam throughout the nation; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon 110th Congress to pass and enact H.R. 1379/S. 795, commonly referred to as “The Citizenship Promotion Act of 2007,” which would appropriate funds to the USCIS for the immigration application process.

DMB

LS# 3709

10/10/07