PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S13467-13468)
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Oct 4, 2005
Strengthening American Citizenship Act of 2005 - 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.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
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; (2) establish the United States Citizenship Foundation to support the functions of the Office of Citizenship; and (3) implement a strategy to enhance public awareness of naturalization ceremonies.
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 ten-year period ending on the date of such recognition.
People & committees
Sen. Alexander, Lamar [R-TN] · R–TN
Legislative record
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Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S13467-13468)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10974-10975)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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