text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Citizenship Promotion Act of 1996''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      Congress makes the following findings:
              (1) American democracy performs best when the maximum 
          number of people subject to its laws participate in the 
          political process, at all levels of government.
              (2) Citizenship actively exercised will better assure that 
          individuals both assert their rights and fulfill their 
          responsibilities of membership within our political community, 
          thereby benefiting all citizens and residents of the United 
          States.
  
  SEC. 3. AMENDMENT TO THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT.
  
      Title III of the Immigration and Nationality Act is amended by 
  adding at the end the following new chapter:
  
                     ``CHAPTER 5--CITIZENSHIP PROMOTION
  
  ``SEC. 371. DEFINITIONS.
  
      ``As used in this chapter--
              ``(1) the term `Agency' means the United States Citizenship 
          Promotion Agency; and
              ``(2) the term `Board' means the National Advisory Board on 
          Citizenship established by section 373.
  
  ``SEC. 372. THE UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP PROMOTION AGENCY.
  
      ``(a) Establishment.--There is established within the Immigration 
  and Naturalization Service an agency to be known as the United States 
  Citizenship Promotion Agency.
      ``(b) Mission.--The Agency shall have as its mission the following:
              ``(1) To carry out the functions relating to naturalization 
          arising under chapter 2 of this title.
              ``(2) To assist in the implementation of a comprehensive 
          program of encouraging and assisting eligible immigrants to 
          become naturalized citizens as soon thereafter as they become 
          eligible to do so.
      ``(c) Headed by Associate Commissioner.--
              ``(1) Appointment.--The Agency shall be headed by an 
          Associate Commissioner for Citizenship. Reasonable efforts 
          shall be made to fill the position with a naturalized citizen 
          of the United States.
              ``(2) Compensation.--The position of Associate Commissioner 
          for Citizenship shall be a position in the Senior Executive 
          Service.
      ``(d) Powers.--The Agency is authorized to exercise all necessary 
  and appropriate powers and duties to carry out its mission, including 
  the authority--
              ``(1) to enter into cooperative agreements with Federal, 
          State, and local governmental entities;
              ``(2) to enter into contracts, subject to the availability 
          of appropriations; and
              ``(3) to make grants to private and nonprofit entities.
      ``(e) Role of Advisory Board.--The Commissioner and the Associate 
  Commissioner for Citizenship shall seek the consultation and advice of 
  the Board regarding the policies, practices, and procedures used by the 
  Agency in fulfillment of its duties.
      ``(f) Termination of Existing Offices and Positions.--(1) There are 
  transferred to the Agency all functions being exercised before the date 
  of enactment of the Citizenship Promotion Act of 1996 by the Attorney 
  General, the Commissioner, or the Service relating to the following:
              ``(A) The naturalization of persons under chapter 2 of this 
          title.
              ``(B) The encouragement and assistance of eligible 
          immigrants to become naturalized citizens.
      ``(2) Upon such date, the Commissioner shall abolish or 
  consolidate, as the case may be, any office or position existing before 
  such date within the Service that performed functions transferred under 
  paragraph (1), if such office or position is not otherwise created by 
  statute.
      ``(3) The personnel employed in connection with, and the assets, 
  liabilities, contracts, property, records, and unexpended balances of 
  appropriations, authorizations, allocations, and other funds employed, 
  used, held, arising from, available to, or to be made available in 
  connection with the functions transferred under this paragraph (1), 
  subject to section 1531 of title 31, United States Code, shall be 
  transferred to the Agency.
  
  ``SEC. 373. NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD ON CITIZENSHIP.
  
      ``(a) Establishment.--There is established the National Advisory 
  Board on Citizenship to advise the Associate Commissioner for 
  Citizenship, the Attorney General, the President, and Congress 
  regarding the carrying out of the Agency's objectives.
      ``(b) Composition.--(1) The Board shall be composed of 9 voting 
  members, who shall be appointed by the Attorney General, except as 
  otherwise provided, as follows:
              ``(A) One member drawn from among individuals having 
          extensive academic experience in the study of immigration.
              ``(B) Two members drawn from among individuals having been 
          recently naturalized, including at least one who is engaged in 
          nonprofessional employment.
              ``(C) Two members drawn from among individuals having 
          extensive recent experience in counseling and advising resident 
          aliens to become naturalized citizens.
              ``(D) Two members drawn from among individuals who have 
          extensive experience working with the immigrant community.
              ``(E) One member to be appointed by the Committee on the 
          Judiciary of the Senate.
              ``(F) One member to be appointed by the Committee on the 
          Judiciary of the House of Representatives.
      ``(2) The Assistant Secretary of Education for Vocational and Adult 
  Education, or his or her designee, shall serve on the Board in a 
  nonvoting capacity.
      ``(3) The voting members shall serve staggered terms in a manner to 
  be prescribed by the Attorney General.
      ``(4) At the first meeting of the Board each year, the members of 
  the Board shall elect a chair and vice chair, who shall serve for a 
  term of one year.
      ``(5) The Board shall meet no more frequently than quarterly each 
  year to carry out its responsibilities under subsection (c).
      ``(c) Responsibilities.--(1) The Board shall have the general 
  responsibility to prepare independent biannual reports relating to the 
  administration of policies of the Agency. Such reports may include 
  minority reports, if timely submitted.
      ``(2) In the course of carrying out its responsibilities, the Board 
  may do the following:
              ``(A) Review the policies, plans, and objectives of the 
          Agency, including the effectiveness thereof, both short- and 
          long-term.
              ``(B) Review programs and policies of other Federal and 
          State agencies under the area of oversight of the Agency, as is 
          necessary, including the effectiveness thereof, both short- and 
          long-term.
              ``(C) Assess the resources and funds for the Agency, and 
          make reports and recommendations to the Commissioner and 
          Congress.
      ``(3) The Board shall give an annual oral report to the Attorney 
  General, the Commissioner, and the Associate Commissioner for 
  Citizenship.
      ``(d) Administrative Matters.--The Attorney General shall approve 
  the budget of the Board. The Attorney General and the Commissioner 
  shall provide administrative support, including staffing, to enable the 
  Board to fulfill its functions.
      ``(e) Compensation.--While away from their homes or regular places 
  of business in the performance of duties for the Board, Board members 
  shall be compensated at a rate not to exceed $100 per day and shall be 
  allowed reasonable travel expenses.
      ``(f) Applicability of Federal Advisory Committee Act.--The 
  provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall 
  apply to the Board, except to the extent that this section establishes 
  contrary policies or procedures.
  
  ``SEC. 374. NATURALIZATION OUTREACH.
  
      ``In order to enable the Agency to fulfill its naturalization 
  outreach duties, the Agency--
              ``(1) shall seek the assistance of appropriate community 
          groups, private voluntary agencies, and other appropriate 
          organizations; and
              ``(2) may enter into cooperative agreements with, or make 
          grants to, such other governmental, private, and nonprofit 
          entities (including entities that encourage or facilitate 
          community service or are engaged in such service) that it 
          considers useful in carrying out such duties.
  
  ``SEC. 375. FEES.
  
      ``(a) Naturalization Examinations Fee Account.--There is 
  established in the general fund of the Treasury of the United States a 
  separate account which shall be known as the `Naturalization 
  Examinations Fee Account' (hereafter in this section referred to as the 
  `Account').
      ``(b) Deposits.--(1) There shall be deposited into the Account the 
  following:
              ``(A) All funds in the Immigration Examinations Fee Account 
          that were collected pursuant to section 344(a) before the date 
          of the enactment of the Citizenship Promotion Act of 1996 and 
          that remain available for obligation on such date.
              ``(B) Except as provided in paragraph (2), all fees paid to 
          the Attorney General pursuant to section 344(a) after such 
          date.
      ``(2) Fees paid after such date pursuant to section 344(a) by 
  applicants residing in the United States Virgin Islands, and in Guam, 
  shall be paid over to the treasury of the Virgin Islands and the 
  treasury of Guam, respectively.
      ``(c) Amount of Fees.--The Attorney General shall establish, and 
  may revise from time to time, the amount of the fees to be collected 
  pursuant to section 344(a) for deposit into the Account. The amount of 
  such fees may be set at a level that will ensure the full recovery of 
  the costs referred to in subsection (d)(1) and the costs of the 
  administration of such fees.
      ``(d) Use of Funds.--(1) The Attorney General may use funds in the 
  Account to cover the following:
              ``(A) The costs of the Agency in carrying out 
          naturalization functions under chapter 2 of this title.
              ``(B) The costs of the Agency in encouraging and assisting 
          eligible immigrants in becoming naturalized citizens under this 
          chapter, including the facilitation of instruction of 
          immigrants in the English language.
              ``(C) The costs of the Agency in collecting fees for 
          deposit into the Account and in administering the Account.
      ``(2) Amounts in the Account shall remain available until expended.
      ``(e) Annual Financial Statements.--The Attorney General shall 
  prepare and submit annually to Congress statements of financial 
  condition of the Account, including beginning account balance revenues, 
  withdrawals, and ending account balance and projections for the ensuing 
  fiscal year.''.
  
  SEC. 4. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.
  
      The Immigration and Nationality Act is amended--
              (1) in section 286 (8 U.S.C. 1356)--
                      (A) in the second proviso of subsection (m), by 
                  striking ``and naturalization''; and
                      (B) in subsection (n), by striking ``and 
                  naturalization''; and
              (2) in section 332 (8 U.S.C. 1443)--
                      (A) in subsection (a), by inserting after the first 
                  sentence the following new sentence: ``The Attorney 
                  General shall discharge such provisions through the 
                  United States Citizenship Promotion Agency established 
                  under chapter 5 of this title.''; and
                      (B) by striking subsection (h).
target: Citizenship Promotion Act of 1996 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to establish within the Immigration and Naturalization Service the United States Citizenship Promotion Agency.  Transfers to the Agency naturalization and related functions currently carried out by the Attorney General and the Service. 
  Establishes the National Advisory Board on Citizenship. 
  Directs the Agency to carry out naturalization outreach activities. 
  Establishes in the Treasury the Naturalization Examinations Fee Account.
feat_title: Citizenship Promotion Act of 1996