HR 7946 United States House · 117th Congress

Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2022

Summary
Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2022 This bill addresses immigration-related issues pertaining to noncitizen (or non-U.S. national) military veterans, including by authorizing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide lawful permanent resident status to a veteran subject to removal. If a noncitizen veteran appears to be eligible for lawful permanent resident status under this bill, that veteran must receive a reasonable opportunity to apply for such status and may not be removed until there is a final administrative decision on the veteran's eligibility. For the purposes of providing such status under this bill, DHS may waive any applicable grounds of inadmissibility, except for certain crime- or security-related grounds. The bill also extends certain deadlines relating to obtaining citizenship after serving in the Armed Forces. DHS must create a system for identifying noncitizens who are or may be veterans. Before initiating removal proceedings against a noncitizen, DHS must attempt to determine whether the noncitizen is a veteran. DHS must ensure that veteran status is considered in immigration proceedings. The bill also requires U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of Defense to take certain actions to facilitate opportunities for military recruits and veterans to obtain U.S. citizenship, such as by training Judge Advocate General Corps members to act as liaisons between the Armed Forces and USCIS on servicemember citizenship applications. The bill also establishes the Military Family Immigration Advisory Committee to provide recommendations on cases involving the removal of a servicemember, veteran, or certain family members of a servicemember or veteran. Such an individual may not be removed until the committee has provided a recommendation to DHS about the individual's case, unless the individual is inadmissible due to a conviction for an aggravated felony. The bill also waives certain grounds of inadmissibility (e.g., being unlawfully present in the United States) for certain noncitizens applying for lawful permanent resident status as an immediate relative of a U.S. citizen who has served at least two years in the Armed Forces.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jun 2022
Committee Review
Dec 2022
House Passage
Dec 2022
Senate Passage
President
Introduced Jun 3, 2022 Last action Dec 7, 2022
Floor votes · House Dec 6, 2022

How they voted

220208
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 431
Dec 6, 2022
D Democratic218
217 Yea 1
99% Yea
R Republican213
3 Yea 208 Nay 2
97% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
18
Key actions
9
Committee
8
Amendments
2
Dec 7, 2022
Committee
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
upper
Dec 6, 2022
Lower · Passed
On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 220 - 208 (Roll no. 503).
lower
Dec 6, 2022
Lower · Passed
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 220 - 208 (Roll no. 503).
lower
Dec 6, 2022
Introduced
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1508, the House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Vicente Gonzalez amendment no. 1.
lower
Dec 6, 2022
Lower · Passed
The resolution provides consideration of H.R. 3648, under a structured rule and H.R. 7946, under a structured rule. The resolution waives the requirement of clause 6(a) of rule XIII for a two-thirds vote to consider a report from the Committee on Rules on the same day it is presented to the House with respect to any resolution reported through the remainder of the 117th Congress.
lower
Dec 6, 2022
Lower · Passed
Rule H. Res. 1508 passed House.
lower
Dec 6, 2022
Lower · Passed
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1508 Reported to House. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 3648, under a structured rule and H.R. 7946, under a structured rule. The resolution waives the requirement of clause 6(a) of rule XIII for a two-thirds vote to consider a report from the Committee on Rules on the same day it is presented to the House with respect to any resolution reported through the remainder of the 117th Congress.
lower
Nov 15, 2022
Lower · Passed
Committee on Armed Services discharged.
lower
Nov 15, 2022
Lower · Passed
Committee on Veterans' Affairs discharged.
lower
Nov 15, 2022
Lower · Passed
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 117-558, Part I.
lower
Jul 27, 2022
Introduced
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 23 - 16.
lower
Jul 27, 2022
Lower · Passed
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
lower
Jun 3, 2022
Committee
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
lower
Jun 3, 2022
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
1 primary · 36 co-sponsors

Sponsors