Congress Expected to Pass Dent Immigration Bill This Week

"Congress is poised to send a bill to the president's desk this week that will help a Lebanese man from the Lehigh Valley become a U.S. citizen.  Written by U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent, the bill* ensures that people with green cards working at U.S. embassies abroad are able to become naturalized citizens even though they are not currently living in America and haven’t lived there continuously for the requisite five years.  The House passed the bill unanimously on Dec. 5.  The companion measure, sponsored by Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, is expected to pass the Senate this week." - Morning Call, Dec. 12, 2012.

* To amend section 1059(e) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 to clarify that a period of employment abroad by the Chief of Mission or United States Armed Forces as a translator, interpreter, or in a security-related position in an executive or managerial capacity is to be counted as a period of residence and physical presence in the United States for purposes of qualifying for naturalization, and for other purposes."