Tohono O'odham Citizenship Act of 2003

Tohono O'odham Citizenship Act of 2003 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to recognize persons listed on the official membership roll of the Tohono O'odham Nation, a federally recognized American Indian nation located in Arizona, as U.S. citizens as of the date such listing occurs.

Provides that the valid membership credential issued to such listed persons shall be considered, for all purposes subject to Federal law, equivalent to: (1) a certificate of citizenship; and (2) a State-issued birth certificate.

[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 731 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 731

To render all enrolled members of the Tohono O'odham Nation citizens of 
 the United States as of the date of their enrollment and to recognize 
  the valid membership credential of the Tohono O'odham Nation as the 
  legal equivalent of a certificate of citizenship or a State-issued 
              birth certificate for all Federal purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 12, 2003

 Mr. Grijalva (for himself, Mr. Pastor, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mr. 
Pascrell, Ms. Kilpatrick, Mr. Honda, Mrs. Christensen, Ms. Watson, Mr. 
   Souder, Ms. Solis, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Lampson, Mr. Matheson, Mr. 
Pallone, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Gephardt, Mr. Towns, Mr. Baca, Mr. Payne, Mr. 
 Rangel, Mr. Paul, Mr. Ortiz, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Ms. Kaptur, 
Mr. Conyers, Mr. Weiner, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, Mr. Faleomavaega, Ms. 
  Norton, Mr. Frost, Mr. Rodriguez, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Meeks of New 
 York, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Markey, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Millender-McDonald, 
 Mr. Reyes, Mr. Clay, Mr. Allen, Mr. Moran of Virginia, Mr. McDermott, 
  Ms. Pelosi, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Owens, Mr. Nadler, Ms. Jackson-Lee of 
Texas, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Menendez, 
Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. Gutierrez, and Mr. Kucinich) introduced the 
  following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To render all enrolled members of the Tohono O'odham Nation citizens of 
 the United States as of the date of their enrollment and to recognize 
  the valid membership credential of the Tohono O'odham Nation as the 
  legal equivalent of a certificate of citizenship or a State-issued 
              birth certificate for all Federal purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Tohono O'odham Citizenship Act of 
2003''.

SEC. 2. NATURALIZATION FOR TOHONO O'ODHAM.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 2 of title III of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1421 et seq.) is amended by inserting after 
section 322 the following:

              ``enrolled members of tohono o'odham nation

    ``Sec. 323. (a) Granting of Citizenship.--A person who is listed on 
the official membership roll of the Tohono O'odham Nation, a federally 
recognized American Indian nation located in Arizona, is a citizen of 
the United States as of the date on which such listing occurs.
    ``(b) No Derivative Benefits to Relatives.--Nothing in this section 
shall be construed as providing for any benefit under this Act for any 
spouse, son, daughter, or other relative of a person granted 
citizenship under this section.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
section 322 the following new item:

``Sec. 323. Enrolled members of Tohono O'odham Nation.''.

SEC. 3. TREATMENT OF TRIBAL MEMBERSHIP CREDENTIAL.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the valid membership 
credential issued to a person who is listed on the official membership 
roll of the Tohono O'odham Nation pursuant to the laws of the Tohono 
O'odham Nation shall be considered, for all purposes subject to Federal 
law, equivalent to--
            (1) a certificate of citizenship issued under section 
        341(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
        1452(a)) to persons who satisfy the requirements of such 
        section; and
            (2) a State-issued birth certificate.
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