{"format":1,"id":"117-hr-7946","congress":117,"number":"H.R. 7946","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2022","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","official_title":"To provide benefits for noncitizen members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To provide benefits for noncitizen members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes."},{"type":"Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text","title":"Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2022"},{"type":"Display Title","title":"Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2022"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2022"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2022"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2022"}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2022-06-03","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2022-12-06","vote":{"id":"117-2022-h503","question":"On Passage","title":"Veteran Service Recognition Act","result":"Passed","yea":220,"nay":208,"present":0,"not_voting":3,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2022/roll503.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"na","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"na","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.","date":"2022-12-07"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[{"number":"H.Amdt. 331","sponsor":"Rep. Gonzalez, Vicente [D-TX-15]","purpose":"Amendment requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to promulgate regulations to implement this Act not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act.","result":"Agreed to","date":"2022-12-06","yea":213,"nay":207,"present":0,"not_voting":11,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2022/roll502.xml"}],"other_votes":[{"chamber":"house","date":"2022-12-06","question":"On Agreeing to the Amendment","title":"","result":"Agreed to","yea":213,"nay":207,"present":0,"not_voting":11,"kind":"amendment","source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2022/roll502.xml"}],"crs_summary":{"date":"2022-12-06","stage":"Passed House","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2022"},{"k":"p","t":"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."},{"k":"p","t":"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."},{"k":"p","t":"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."},{"k":"p","t":"The bill also extends certain deadlines relating to obtaining citizenship after serving in the Armed Forces."},{"k":"p","t":"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."},{"k":"p","t":"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."},{"k":"p","t":"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."},{"k":"p","t":"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."}],"words":330},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Sets out immigration and naturalization provisions for noncitizen members of the Armed Forces, noncitizen veterans, and their family members, including adjustment to lawful permanent resident status, a case-review advisory committee, and naturalization procedures.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/7946/text/eh#H2C91C5DF9FAC4601B79EDFAE827759E6"},{"label":"Sec. 4","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/7946/text/eh#H42951C4774DE4F3293EED24E2AF9EDCA"},{"label":"Sec. 5","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/7946/text/eh#H9250BC4DBC1649FC8B3DB4077DD56ABE"},{"label":"Sec. 7","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/7946/text/eh#HA7BDDA7F032E4177BE79AE566EFC7723"},{"label":"Sec. 8","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/7946/text/eh#H8D05EE6CE735473585E5DEAC374854F6"}]},"core_areas":["Lawful permanent resident status for noncitizen veterans with final removal orders","Removal proceedings involving servicemembers, veterans and covered family members","Naturalization through military service","Adjustment of status for immediate relatives of citizen servicemembers and veterans","Study and reporting on removed noncitizen veterans"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to adjust the status of a noncitizen veteran with a final order of removal to lawful permanent resident, or admit the veteran for lawful permanent residence, if the Secretary determines the veteran is not inadmissible.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 7","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/7946/text/eh#HA7BDDA7F032E4177BE79AE566EFC7723"}},{"text":"Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to create a protocol and an information system for identifying noncitizen veterans, and bars initiating removal proceedings against an individual before using the system to try to determine whether the individual is a veteran.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/7946/text/eh#H2C91C5DF9FAC4601B79EDFAE827759E6"}},{"text":"Establishes the Military Family Immigration Advisory Committee, with 9 members appointed by the Secretary of Homeland Security, to review removal cases of servicemembers, veterans and covered family members and give written recommendations.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 4","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/7946/text/eh#H42951C4774DE4F3293EED24E2AF9EDCA"}},{"text":"Requires a program under which eligible noncitizens may file for naturalization from the first day of active duty or Selected Reserve service, with the required certification of service issued within 30 days of a request.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 5","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/7946/text/eh#H9250BC4DBC1649FC8B3DB4077DD56ABE"}},{"text":"Deems certain immediate relatives of a citizen who served at least 2 years in the Armed Forces to have been inspected and admitted, and exempts them from certain grounds of inadmissibility when applying for adjustment of status.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 8","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/7946/text/eh#H8D05EE6CE735473585E5DEAC374854F6"}},{"text":"Requires the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs to jointly study noncitizen veterans removed from the United States from January 1, 1990 to the date of enactment, and to report the results to the appropriate congressional committees.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/7946/text/eh#H23B99DFB19CF43A7A96A351E3A4CD717"}}],"unexpected":[],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2022-12-06","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/7946/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-15","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/7946","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/7946/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/117-hr-7946.png","v":"2231b88a15e9","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 7946, 117th Congress: Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2022. House: 220 Yea, 208 Nay. Outcome: Passed House, 6 Dec 2022."}}