THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY CRUZ, YOUNGBLOOD, JOSEPHS AND M. O'BRIEN, MARCH 19, 2012

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MARCH 19, 2012  

A RESOLUTION

Encouraging the Congress of the United States to reform the

Immigration and Nationality Act by eliminating the English

test and allowing the administration of the civics test in

the native language of the applicant.

WHEREAS, The McCarran-Walter Act (P.L.82-414), otherwise

known as the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), was enacted

in 1952 by collecting and codifying many different statutes

governing immigration laws; and

WHEREAS, The INA establishes laws to regulate immigration and

nationality in the United States; and

WHEREAS, In order to become a naturalized United States

citizen, Act 312 of the INA requires individuals to prove an

understanding of the English language, including an ability to

read, write and speak words in ordinary usage in English; and

WHEREAS, Act 312 of the INA requires individuals to prove

knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of the history,

principles and form of government of the United States; and

WHEREAS, Applicants are exempt from proving an understanding

of the English language if the applicant is either 50 years of

age or older and has lived as a permanent United States resident

for 20 years or 55 years of age or older and has lived as a

permanent United States resident for 15 years; and

WHEREAS, Applicants are afforded the opportunity to prove

civic knowledge and understanding in their native language if an

exemption from proving an understanding of the English language

is granted; and

WHEREAS, The United States was founded, not on language

proficiency, but on the principles of fairness, equality and

opportunity; and

WHEREAS, In the 19th century, millions of individuals who

immigrated to the United States were naturalized without English

language proficiency; and

WHEREAS, Children and grandchildren of immigrants

overwhelmingly comprehend the English language, more so than

their parents' or grandparents' native language; and

WHEREAS, An English language requirement to naturalization,

based on unfounded fears and uncertainties, stands in direct

opposition to the tenets of the First Amendment of the

Constitution of the United States; and

WHEREAS, Many eligible individuals do not achieve United

States citizenship due to the English proficiency requirement to

naturalization; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania encourage the Congress of the

United States to eliminate the English proficiency test and

allow the civics test to be administered in the native language

of all applicants; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to

the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each

member of Congress from Pennsylvania.