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Posthumous Citizenship for Active Duty Service Act of 1989

Public Law 101-249 · H.R. 150 · 101st Congress · began in the House

Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Mar 6, 1990 · Commemorations

Sponsor: Rep. Brian Donnelly (D-MA-11)

Cosponsors (51): Rep. Richard Neal,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Posthumous Citizenship for Active Duty Service Act of 1989 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for posthumous naturalization of aliens and noncitizen nationals by reason of death while on active-duty service in the U.S. armed forces during periods of military hostilities.

States that a request for the granting of posthumous citizenship may be filed only by the next-of-kin or another representative determined by the Attorney General.

Requires such request to be filed by the later of: (1) two years after enactment of this Act; or (2) the date of the veteran's death.

States that this Act shall not bestow any immigration benefits upon a spouse, child, or relative of the veteran.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

  • Judiciary Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee
  • Judiciary Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Border Security and Immigration Subcommittee
Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 21 actions.

  1. Mar 6, 1990Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-249.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Feb 22, 1990PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Feb 20, 1990FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
  5. Feb 1, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Judiciary Committee
  6. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
  7. Dec 11, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Border Security and Immigration Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
  8. Nov 15, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
  9. Nov 13, 1989FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  10. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  11. FloorFloor · On ordering a second Agreed to without objection.
  12. FloorFloor · Mr. Smith (TX) demanded a second on the motion to suspend the rules.
  13. FloorFloor · Mr. Morrison (CT) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  14. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
  15. Nov 9, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
  16. Nov 1, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  17. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  18. Sep 21, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  19. Mar 27, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  20. Jan 3, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
  21. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.