Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 7946 - Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2022

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY

(House)
(Rep. Takano, D-CA and 36 cosponsors)

The Administration supports efforts to ensure that noncitizen members of the U.S. Armed Forces receive timely access to benefits and services for which they may be eligible. Accordingly, the Administration supports House passage of H.R. 7946, the Veteran Service Recognition Act, and its goals of facilitating early access to naturalization for qualifying noncitizen members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families, ensuring that a noncitizen's military service is considered in making immigration-related decisions involving the noncitizen or their immediate family members, and identifying and supporting deported veterans.

As currently written, H.R. 7946 would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish an Advisory Committee to provide recommendations to the Secretary on the exercise of discretion in removal proceedings involving members of the U.S. Armed Forces, veterans, and their covered family members. H.R. 7946 would also require the Secretary of Homeland Security to create, within 180 days of the enactment of this Act, a protocol and information system for identifying and maintaining information about noncitizen veterans that will be shared across all components of the Department of Homeland Security.

The Administration recognizes the need to improve our laws to better protect noncitizens who honorably serve in the Armed Forces. As this legislation moves forward, the Administration urges the Congress to work with the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security to address any concerns with the legislation and remove any administrative or operational obstacles that would prevent the Administration from implementing the bill as swiftly as possible, consistent with its spirit and intent.

The Administration also urges the Congress to reform other aspects of our immigration system by passing the U.S. Citizenship Act, which would provide a path to citizenship to millions of undocumented immigrants, establish a new system to responsibly manage and secure our border, and bring long overdue visa reforms to keep families together and grow our economy.