STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1049

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 41

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 41 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION CONDEMNING THE UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES' FEE INCREASE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to condemn the proposed fee increase by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and request a halt on the fee increase for all naturalization applications.

     Your Committee did not receive testimony regarding this measure.

     Your Committee finds that our Nation's and State's newcomers are making valuable contributions to the social, cultural, and economic life of the United States of America and the State of Hawaii.

     Your Committee further finds that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services proposed a sixty-seven per cent fee increase to begin the naturalization process, raising the fee from $400 to $675.  This proposed fee increase would place a nearly insurmountable barrier in the path of many legal permanent residents who seek to naturalize.

     Your Committee further finds that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services' proposed fee increase is contrary to the spirit of our Nation's and State's tradition of welcoming and integrating immigrants, and sends legal permanent residents the wrong message at a time when they are seeking to embrace U.S. citizenship.  To this end, it is the intent of your Committee to:

     (1)  Condemn the proposed fee increase;

     (2)  Request a halt on the fee increase for all naturalization applications;

     (3)  Request that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to provide President George W. Bush and the United States Congress with accurate information in order to ascertain the amount of federal appropriations needed for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to modernize its operations and enhance its naturalization services, without raising the naturalization fee; and

     (4)  Request that President George W. Bush and the United States Congress provide appropriations to supplement fee revenues to cover costs of major United States Citizenship and Immigration Services' expenses.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 41 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair