HR 14 (LSB 2971HH (2) 91)

HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 14

BY  DUNWELL, LOHSE, WELDON, LAWLER, LATHAM, GEARHART, SIEGRIST, INGELS, THOMPSON, BLOM, GERHOLD, YOUNG, KNIFF MCCULLA, BARKER, MOMMSEN, SMITH, KONFRST, MATSON, NIELSEN, JAMES, ZABNER, JUDGE, SRINIVAS, and WICHTENDAHL

A Resolution calling upon the President of the United States and the United States Congress to support efforts to naturalize certain legally adopted children who were born outside the United States.

   WHEREAS, the state of Iowa has a long history of welcoming children through international adoptions; and
   WHEREAS, all Iowans benefit from removing barriers to United States citizenship for adoptees who were born outside the United States; and
   WHEREAS, the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, Pub. L. No. 106-395, provided automatic citizenship or a simple path to citizenship for certain children who were born outside the United States, including children legally adopted by a United States citizen (adoptees); and
   WHEREAS, the Child Citizenship Act did not provide citizenship to adoptees who were over eighteen years of age at the time the Child Citizenship Act became effective, and as a result, a significant number of adoptees remain without citizenship and are potentially subject to deportation despite being raised by United States citizens; and
   WHEREAS, dozens of adoptees have been deported because they are not citizens, breaking up families and returning the adoptees to lands to which the adoptees have no cultural or social ties, including Argentina, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Germany, El Salvador, India, Ireland, Haiti, Iran, Japan, Mexico, Panama, the Philippines, Russia, South Korea, St. Kitts, Taiwan, Ukraine, and Vietnam; and
   WHEREAS, adoptees who are unable to obtain United States citizenship face numerous challenges, including barriers to banking services, voting, passports, driver’s licenses, social security or disability benefits, financial aid for postsecondary education, and entry into the armed forces; and
   WHEREAS, Congress has been working to pass the Adoptee Citizenship Act which would grant citizenship to adoptees who were eighteen years of age or older on the date the Child Citizenship Act became effective; and
   WHEREAS, passage of the Adoptee Citizenship Act will result in the naturalization of many adoptees who were brought to the United States as children under the promise of finding a permanent home, and the expectation of United States citizenship; and
   WHEREAS, efforts to provide citizenship to adoptees who were excluded from the Child Citizenship Act have seen bipartisan support in Congress and have received widespread praise from the country’s leading adoption advocacy organizations; NOW THEREFORE,

   BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, That the House of Representatives calls upon the President of the United States and the United States Congress to support efforts, including passage of the Adoptee Citizenship Act, to provide citizenship to adoptees who were born outside the United States and who were eighteen years of age or older on the date the Child Citizenship Act became effective.

   BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be distributed to the President of the United States, the President of the Senate of the United States, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States, the chairs and ranking members of the Committee on the Judiciary for the United States Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary for the United States House of Representatives, and to each member of Iowa’s congressional delegation.