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92_HR0965
LRB9216973BHbh
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are forever indebted to and have the greatest
4 pride in all soldiers who served on our nation's behalf in
5 the Korean War; and
6 WHEREAS, Thousands of new immigrants to the United States
7 volunteered for or were drafted into the United States Armed
8 Forces during the Korean War prior to becoming American
9 citizens; and
10 WHEREAS, These noncitizen immigrants proudly,
11 enthusiastically, and faithfully served in the United States
12 armed services during the war, oftentimes receiving
13 battlefield citations and commendations for bravery; and
14 WHEREAS, In 1953, a law was enacted and signed by
15 President Eisenhower granting citizenship to noncitizen
16 immigrant soldiers after 90 to 120 days of active service;
17 and
18 WHEREAS, The 1953 law signed by President Eisenhower did
19 not have a grandfather clause; and
20 WHEREAS, An untold number of noncitizen United States
21 soldiers were killed in action in the Korean War prior to the
22 enactment of the 1953 law; and
23 WHEREAS, Those noncitizen soldiers who were killed in
24 action prior to 1953 were not honored by the United States
25 with military burials but instead had their remains
26 transported to their native countries for burial; and
27 WHEREAS, A bill now pending in the United States
28 Congress, H.R. 2623, would enable the family members of
29 noncitizen United States soldiers killed in action while
30 serving our nation to apply for posthumous citizenship for
-2- LRB9216973BHbh
1 those soldiers; therefore, be it
2 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
3 NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
4 we urge the Congress of the United States to enact
5 legislation granting posthumous citizenship to noncitizen
6 servicemen killed in action while serving our nation in the
7 armed forces of the United States; and be it further
8 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
9 presented to the Speaker of the U.S. House of
10 Representatives, the Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate, and
11 each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.