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Child Citizenship Act of 2000

Public Law 106-395 · H.R. 2883 · 106th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Oct 30, 2000 · Immigration

Sponsor: Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX-21)

Cosponsors (41): Rep. Ray LaHood,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateUnanimous consent
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.

Child Citizenship Act of 2000 - Title I: Citizenship for Certain Children Born Outside the United States - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide automatic U.S. citizenship for a child born outside the United States when the following conditions are met: (1) at least one parent is a U.S. citizen; (2) the child is under 18 years old; and (3) the child is residing in the United States in the legal and physical custody of the citizen parent pursuant to a lawful admission for permanent residence. Applies such provision to an adopted child meeting certain definitional requirements who is adopted by a U.S. citizen parent.

Provides for issuance of a certificate of naturalization for a child born outside of the United States when the following conditions are met: (1) at least one parent is a U.S. citizen who has been present in the United States for not less than five years, at least two of which were after having attained the age of 14, or who has a citizen parent meeting such requirements; (2) the child is under 18 years old; and (3) the child is residing outside the United States in the legal and physical custody of the citizen parent, is temporarily and lawfully present in the United States, and is maintaining such lawful status. Applies such provision to an adopted child meeting certain definitional requirements who is adopted by a U.S. citizen parent.

Title II: Protections for Certain Aliens Voting Based on Reasonable Belief of Citizenship - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act respecting unlawful voting or false U.S. citizenship claims by permanent resident aliens under 16 years old having natural or adoptive U.S. citizen parents, to provide exceptions from certain provisions regarding deportability, moral character, inadmissability or related criminal penalties.

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
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. 16 actions.

  1. Oct 30, 2000Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 106-395.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Oct 19, 2000PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 12, 2000FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  5. Sep 19, 2000FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
  6. FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  7. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  8. FloorFloor · Mr. Smith (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  9. Sep 14, 2000CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
  10. Jul 26, 2000CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
  11. Jul 11, 2000CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  12. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  13. Feb 17, 2000CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  14. Sep 27, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  15. Sep 21, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
  16. 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.