Political Quotes

“I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, few things are as patriotic--as American--as serving our Nation in the United States Armed Forces. My amendment, amendment No. 17, would ensure that noncitizens defending our country receive the resources they need to pursue the citizenship they have earned. Specifically, my amendment will modify the pre-separation counseling checklist administered to servicemembers to provide them an opportunity to request further information regarding expedited naturalization. Throughout history, many legal permanent residents have demonstrated their commitment to the United States by volunteering to serve their adopted country by putting on the uniform and joining the United States Armed Forces. Unfortunately, we have all seen reports that there may be thousands of deported U.S. veterans because they failed to apply for citizenship for a variety of reasons. Deporting these patriotic veterans does not reflect our American values. As a country that honors our veterans, we need to take the appropriate steps to ensure that those who volunteered to serve are not deported because they were unaware of the benefits available to them. My amendment provides a safety net that ensures noncitizen servicemembers who defended our country are aware of these benefits. Mr. Chairman, my amendment No.…”