HR 1177 · 117th Congress 2021–2023, ended

U.S. Citizenship Act

Latest action · Apr 28, 2021 Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

  1. IntroducedFeb 18, 2021
  2. Passed HouseNot reached
  3. Passed SenateNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

U.S. Citizenship Act

This bill establishes a path to citizenship for certain undocumented individuals. The bill also replaces the term alien with noncitizen in the immigration statutes and addresses other related issues.

Specifically, the bill establishes a new status of lawful prospective immigrant. This status shall be available to an applying noncitizen who meets certain requirements, including being continually present in the United States from January 1, 2021, and passing background checks. After at least five years with this status, an eligible noncitizen may apply for and receive permanent resident status.

The bill also provides permanent resident status to certain applying noncitizens, specifically for eligible noncitizens who (1) entered the United States as a minor, (2) were eligible for temporary protected status or deferred enforced departure on January 1, 2017, or (3) worked a certain amount of agricultural labor in the five years prior to applying.

Among other things, the bill also

  • redefines for immigration purposes the term conviction to exclude convictions that have been expunged or vacated,
  • requires the Department of State to implement a strategy to advance reforms in Central America and address key factors contributing to migration from the region to the United States,
  • requires the State Department to establish refugee processing centers in Central America,
  • requires Customs and Border Patrol sectors and stations to have a certain number of employees with certain qualifications such as paramedic training,
  • generally prohibits religious discrimination in granting or denying immigration benefits, and
  • establishes grant programs for providing training and services to immigrants.

Cosponsors 153

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Feb 18, 2021 to Aug 2, 2022; 80 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
D-CAAdam B. SchiffOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-NYAdriano EspaillatOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-TXAl GreenOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-NJAlbio SiresOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-MDAnthony G. BrownOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-MNBetty McCollumOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-NJBonnie Watson ColemanOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-ILBradley Scott SchneiderOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-MIBrenda L. LawrenceOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-NYCarolyn B. MaloneyOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-ILDanny K. DavisOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-FLDarren SotoOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-MDDavid J. TroneOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-RIDavid N. CicillineOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-FLDebbie Wasserman SchultzOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-NCDeborah K. RossOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CODiana DeGetteOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-NVDina TitusOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-VADonald S. Beyer, Jr.OriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CADoris O. MatsuiOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-PADwight EvansOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-OREarl BlumenauerOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-DCEleanor Holmes NortonOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CAEric SwalwellOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-TXFilemon VelaOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-NJFrank Pallone, Jr.OriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-FLFrederica S. WilsonOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-VAGerald E. ConnollyOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CAGrace F. NapolitanoOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-MPGregorio Kilili Camacho SablanOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-NYGregory W. MeeksOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-GAHenry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr.OriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CAJ. Luis CorreaOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-MAJames P. McGovernOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-NYJerrold NadlerOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CAJerry McNerneyOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CAJim CostaOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CAJimmy GomezOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CAJimmy PanettaOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-TXJoaquin CastroOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-COJoe NeguseOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CAJohn GaramendiOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CAJuan VargasOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CAJudy ChuOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CAKaren BassOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-MAKatherine M. ClarkOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-NCKathy E. ManningOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-DELisa Blunt RochesterOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-FLLois FrankelOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-MALori TrahanOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CALucille Roybal-AllardOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-TXMarc A. VeaseyOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-ILMarie NewmanOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CAMark TakanoOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-PAMary Gay ScanlonOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-GUMichael F. Q. San NicolasOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CAMike LevinOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-NYMondaire JonesOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CANanette Diaz BarragánOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-GANikema WilliamsOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-NYNydia M. VelázquezOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CAPete AguilarOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-VTPeter WelchOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CARaul RuizOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-NYRitchie TorresOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-AZRuben GallegoOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CASalud O. CarbajalOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CASara JacobsOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-VIStacey E. PlaskettOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-NVSteven HorsfordOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-ORSuzanne BonamiciOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-TXSylvia R. GarciaOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CATed LieuOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-NMTeresa Leger FernandezOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-NYThomas R. SuozziOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CATony CárdenasOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-FLVal Butler DemingsOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-TXVeronica EscobarOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-NYYvette D. ClarkeOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-CAZoe LofgrenOriginalFeb 18, 2021
D-FLAlcee L. HastingsFeb 22, 2021
D-INAndré CarsonFeb 22, 2021
D-CABarbara LeeFeb 22, 2021
D-ILBobby L. RushFeb 22, 2021
D-MDC. A. Dutch RuppersbergerFeb 22, 2021
D-NYHakeem S. JeffriesFeb 22, 2021
D-CTJahana HayesFeb 22, 2021
D-MAJake AuchinclossFeb 22, 2021
D-TNJim CooperFeb 22, 2021
D-CTJohn B. LarsonFeb 22, 2021
D-CAJosh HarderFeb 22, 2021
D-CAJulia BrownleyFeb 22, 2021
D-HIKaiali'i KaheleFeb 22, 2021
D-FLKathy CastorFeb 22, 2021
D-ILMike QuigleyFeb 22, 2021
D-TXSheila Jackson LeeFeb 22, 2021
D-FLTheodore E. DeutchFeb 22, 2021
D-WAAdam SmithFeb 25, 2021
D-CAAlan S. LowenthalFeb 25, 2021
D-NHAnn M. KusterFeb 25, 2021
D-CAAnna G. EshooFeb 25, 2021
D-MEChellie PingreeFeb 25, 2021
D-MIDaniel T. KildeeFeb 25, 2021
D-COEd PerlmutterFeb 25, 2021
D-TXEddie Bernice JohnsonFeb 25, 2021
D-NYGrace MengFeb 25, 2021
D-KYJohn A. YarmuthFeb 25, 2021
D-NYJoseph D. MorelleFeb 25, 2021
D-TXLloyd DoggettFeb 25, 2021
D-PAMadeleine DeanFeb 25, 2021
D-WAMarilyn StricklandFeb 25, 2021
D-CAMark DeSaulnierFeb 25, 2021
D-CAMaxine WatersFeb 25, 2021
D-CAMike ThompsonFeb 25, 2021
D-CTRosa L. DeLauroFeb 25, 2021
D-ILSean CastenFeb 25, 2021
D-MASeth MoultonFeb 25, 2021
D-ILBill FosterMar 2, 2021
D-PABrendan F. BoyleMar 2, 2021
D-NYBrian HigginsMar 2, 2021
D-WIGwen MooreMar 2, 2021
D-MDJamie RaskinMar 2, 2021
D-CAJared HuffmanMar 2, 2021
D-ILJesús G. "Chuy" GarcíaMar 2, 2021
D-ILRaja KrishnamoorthiMar 2, 2021
D-WARick LarsenMar 2, 2021
D-ILRobin L. KellyMar 2, 2021
D-ALTerri A. SewellMar 2, 2021
D-MAWilliam R. KeatingMar 2, 2021
D-NCDavid E. PriceMar 8, 2021
D-OHJoyce BeattyMar 8, 2021
D-MDKweisi MfumeMar 8, 2021
D-WAPramila JayapalMar 8, 2021
D-OHMarcy KapturMar 11, 2021
D-WIMark PocanMar 11, 2021
D-CABrad ShermanMar 19, 2021
D-NJBill Pascrell, Jr.Apr 19, 2021
D-AZRaúl M. GrijalvaApr 19, 2021
D-ILLauren UnderwoodMay 4, 2021
D-NYPaul TonkoMay 4, 2021
D-NCAlma S. AdamsMay 13, 2021
D-WASuzan K. DelBeneJun 16, 2021
D-MOEmanuel CleaverJun 23, 2021
D-VAA. Donald McEachinJul 9, 2021
D-MIDebbie DingellJul 26, 2021
D-NYJamaal BowmanJul 26, 2021
D-CARo KhannaJul 26, 2021
D-MDJohn P. SarbanesJul 28, 2021
D-TNSteve CohenJul 28, 2021
D-NMMelanie A. StansburyOct 19, 2021
D-NJDonald M. Payne, Jr.Mar 28, 2022
D-MIHaley M. StevensMay 3, 2022
D-MIRashida TlaibAug 2, 2022

Committees 12

Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.

ChamberCommitteeWhat it did
HouseWays and Means Committee
Referred Feb 18, 2021
Health Subcommittee
Referred Feb 18, 2021
HouseJudiciary Committee
Referred Feb 18, 2021
Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee
Referred Apr 28, 2021
HouseArmed Services Committee
Referred Feb 18, 2021
HouseEducation and Workforce Committee
Referred Feb 18, 2021
HouseCommittee on House Administration
Referred Feb 18, 2021
HouseFinancial Services Committee
Referred Feb 18, 2021
HouseNatural Resources Committee
Referred Feb 18, 2021
HouseOversight and Government Reform Committee
Referred Feb 18, 2021
HouseForeign Affairs Committee
Referred Feb 18, 2021
HouseHomeland Security Committee
Referred Feb 18, 2021
Border Security and Enforcement Subcommittee
Referred Feb 19, 2021
HouseIntelligence (Permanent Select) Committee
Referred Feb 18, 2021
HouseEnergy and Commerce Committee
Referred Feb 18, 2021
Health Subcommittee
Referred Feb 19, 2021

Actions 6

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Apr 28, 2021Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.
  2. Feb 19, 2021Referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security, Facilitation, and Operations.
  3. Feb 19, 2021Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
  4. Feb 18, 2021Introduced in House
  5. Feb 18, 2021Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Research

What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.

Constitutional authority

Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant to the following: Article I Section 8

The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 167, no. 31, February 18, 2021, page H538.

Printed hearings 3

Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.

NumberHearingCommitteeHeld
S. Hrg. 117-783STOP GUN VIOLENCE: EXTREME RISK ORDER/"RED FLAG" LAWS103 pagesJudiciary CommitteeApr 28, 2021
Serial No. 117-8UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN AT THE BORDER: STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVES ON THE WAY FORWARD74 pagesHomeland Security CommitteeApr 27, 2021
—DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS FOR 2022529 pagesAppropriations CommitteeMar 10, 2021–May 26, 2021

CRS reports 6

Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.

Cite it 6

Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.

Related bills 7

Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.

BillTitleRelationshipLatest action
S 348U.S. Citizenship ActIdentical billFeb 22, 2021
S 1514Border Transportation Efficiency ActRelated billApr 29, 2021
S 1515REMOTE ActRelated billApr 29, 2021
S 2954Fair Adjudications for Immigrants ActRelated billOct 7, 2021
HR 3194U.S. Citizenship ActReintroduced BillDec 17, 2024

Titles 3

Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.

Official Title as Introduced
To provide an earned path to citizenship, to address the root causes of migration and responsibly manage the southern border, and to reform the immigrant visa system, and for other purposes.
Short Title(s) as Introduced
U.S. Citizenship Act
Short Title(s) as Introduced for portions of this bill
Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Immigration.

Text 1

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. Feb 18, 2021Introduced in House

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.