Strengthening American Citizenship Act of 2007

A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act 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.

3/5/2008--Introduced.
Strengthening American Citizenship Act of 2008 - Directs the Chief of the Office of Citizenship of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide grants (not to exceed $500) to assist legal U.S. residents who declare an intent to apply for citizenship in the United States to meet naturalization requirements. Provides such grants to an accredited institution of higher education or other qualified educational institution for tuition, fees, books, and other educational resources required by the English language course in which the legal resident is enrolled. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to provide that a legal U.S. resident who demonstrates English fluency will satisfy the residency requirement upon the completion of four (currently, five years) years of continuous U.S. legal residency. Directs the Secretary of DHS to:
(1) establish an American citizenship grant program for qualified entities to provide civics, history, and English classes to promote the patriotic integration of prospective citizens; and
(2) implement a strategy to enhance public awareness of naturalization ceremonies. Authorizes the Secretary to establish the United States Citizenship Foundation to support the functions of the Office of Citizenship; Amends INA to set forth a new oath of allegiance. Directs the Secretary to:
(1) incorporate a knowledge and understanding of the oath of allegiance into the history and government citizenship test; and
(2) notify the embassy of the country of which a new citizen was a citizen or subject that such citizen has renounced allegiance to that foreign country, and sworn allegiance to the United States. Establishes a new citizens award program to recognize citizens who:
(1) have made an outstanding contribution to the United States; and
(2) were naturalized during the 10-year period ending on the date of such recognition.


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Sponsor

• Sen. Lamar Alexander [R, TN]
• and 1 Co-Sponsors
  • Sen. Jefferson Sessions [R, AL]
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Amendments

This bill has no amendments.

Amendments to S.2721

Number	Status	Purpose

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by Senate		Voted on by House		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
March 05, 2008

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All Bill Actions

• Added to calendar on Mar 06, 2008: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 606..
• Mar 05, 2008: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
• Introduced on Mar 05, 2008.

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Related Bills:

• S.1393

Related Issue Areas:

• Social services
• Residence requirements
• Politics and government
• Oaths
• 30 more
• Naturalization
• Law
• Immigrants
• Immigrant education
• History
• Higher education
• Grants-in-aid
• Government paperwork
• Government information
• Gifts
• Foundations
• Foreign policy
• Federal aid to education
• Executive departments
• English language
• Embassies
• Education
• Department of Homeland Security
• Constitution
• Congressional reporting requirements
• Congress
• Communications
• Commemorations
• Citizenship education
• Citizenship
• Budgets
• Awards, medals, prizes
• Allegiance
• Administrative procedure
• Immigration

Data from the Congressional Research Service

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