Supporting New American Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families, 95849-95851 [2016-31690]
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95849
Presidential Documents
Federal Register
Vol. 81, No. 249
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Title 3—
Memorandum of December 22, 2016
The President
Supporting New American Service Members, Veterans, and
Their Families
Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies
My Administration has maintained a steadfast commitment to honor and
serve the brave men and women who have served this country. Like all
service members and veterans, foreign-born residents and naturalized citizens
serving in the United States Armed Forces are shining examples of the
American dream. These brave new Americans have taken the extraordinary
step of answering the call to duty, to support and defend our country.
Some have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country before becoming
American citizens.
New American service members are undoubtedly a critical element of our
national security. They risk their lives all over the world in the name
of the United States, securing shipping lanes, protecting bases and embassies,
providing medical assistance, and conducting humanitarian missions. Tens
of thousands of lawful permanent residents and naturalized U.S. citizens
currently serve in our Armed Forces. Many more are veterans who have
served previously in the Armed Forces. Additionally, many U.S.-born service
members have immediate family members who were born abroad.
Over the past decade, the Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and
Homeland Security have strengthened partnerships to provide services and
opportunities to service members, veterans, and their families interacting
with the U.S. immigration system. Indeed, since 2001, more than 110,000
service members have been naturalized and many were assisted in the
process through partnerships such as the ‘‘Naturalization at Basic Training
Initiative,’’ which gives non-citizen enlistees the opportunity to naturalize
during basic training. Despite these efforts, service members, veterans, and
their families still face barriers to accessing immigration benefits and other
assistance for which they may be eligible.
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with PRES DOCS
In light of the sacrifices that all of these individuals make and have made
for our country, it is critical that executive departments and agencies (agencies) enhance collaboration and streamline processes to ensure that they
receive the services and benefits they need and have earned. Therefore,
by the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the
laws of the United States of America, and to address the issues facing
new American service members, veterans, and their families, I hereby direct
as follows:
Section 1. Interagency Working Group to Support New American Service
Members, Veterans, and their Families. There is established a Working Group
to Support New American Service Members, Veterans, and their Families
(Working Group) to coordinate records, benefits, and immigration and citizenship services for these service members, veterans, and their families. The
Working Group shall convene its first meeting within 10 days of the date
of this memorandum.
(a) The Working Group shall consist of representatives from:
(i) the Department of State;
(ii) the Department of Defense;
(iii) the Department of Justice;
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 249 / Wednesday, December 28, 2016 / Presidential Documents
(iv) the Department of Labor;
(v) the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
(vi) the Department of Homeland Security.
(b) The Working Group shall consult with additional agencies or offices,
as appropriate.
Sec. 2. Mission and Functions of the Working Group. (a) The Working
Group shall coordinate agency efforts to support service members, veterans,
and their families who are navigating the immigration, veterans, and military
systems. Such efforts shall include:
(i) coordinating the sharing of military records and other information
relevant to immigration or veterans benefits;
(ii) enhancing awareness of naturalization and immigration benefits to
provide timely assistance and information to service members, veterans,
and their families;
(iii) coordinating and facilitating the process of adjudicating immigration
applications and petitions; and
(iv) other efforts that further support service members, veterans, and their
families.
(b) Within 30 days of the date of this memorandum, the Working Group
shall develop an initial 3-year strategic action plan that details broad approaches to be taken to enhance access to services and benefits. This initial
plan shall be supplemented by a more detailed plan, to be published within
120 days of the date of this memorandum that discusses the steps to be
taken in greater detail. The Working Group shall also report periodically
on its accomplishments and ongoing initiatives.
Sec. 3. Outreach. Consistent with the objectives of this memorandum and
applicable law, the Working Group shall seek the views of representatives
of private and nonprofit organizations; veterans and military service organizations; State, tribal, and local government agencies; elected officials; and
other interested persons to inform the Working Group’s plans.
Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) The heads of agencies shall assist and provide
information to the Working Group, consistent with applicable law, as may
be necessary to carry out the functions of the Working Group. Each agency
and office shall bear its own expense for carrying out activities related
to the Working Group.
(b) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise
affect the authority granted by law to an executive department or an agency,
or the head thereof, or the status of that department or agency within
the Federal Government.
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with PRES DOCS
(c) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable
law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
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95851
(d) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right
or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by
any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities,
its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
(e) The Secretary of Homeland Security is hereby authorized and directed
to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
THE WHITE HOUSE,
Washington, December 22, 2016.
[FR Doc. 2016–31690
Filed 12–27–16; 11:15 am]
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Billing code 4410–10–P
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 249 (Wednesday, December 28, 2016)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 95849-95851]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31690]
[[Page 95847]]
Vol. 81
Wednesday,
No. 249
December 28, 2016
Part V
The President
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Memorandum of December 22, 2016--Supporting New American Service
Members, Veterans, and Their Families
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 249 / Wednesday, December 28, 2016 /
Presidential Documents
___________________________________________________________________
Title 3--
The President
[[Page 95849]]
Memorandum of December 22, 2016
Supporting New American Service Members,
Veterans, and Their Families
Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and
Agencies
My Administration has maintained a steadfast commitment
to honor and serve the brave men and women who have
served this country. Like all service members and
veterans, foreign-born residents and naturalized
citizens serving in the United States Armed Forces are
shining examples of the American dream. These brave new
Americans have taken the extraordinary step of
answering the call to duty, to support and defend our
country. Some have made the ultimate sacrifice for our
country before becoming American citizens.
New American service members are undoubtedly a critical
element of our national security. They risk their lives
all over the world in the name of the United States,
securing shipping lanes, protecting bases and
embassies, providing medical assistance, and conducting
humanitarian missions. Tens of thousands of lawful
permanent residents and naturalized U.S. citizens
currently serve in our Armed Forces. Many more are
veterans who have served previously in the Armed
Forces. Additionally, many U.S.-born service members
have immediate family members who were born abroad.
Over the past decade, the Departments of Defense,
Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security have
strengthened partnerships to provide services and
opportunities to service members, veterans, and their
families interacting with the U.S. immigration system.
Indeed, since 2001, more than 110,000 service members
have been naturalized and many were assisted in the
process through partnerships such as the
``Naturalization at Basic Training Initiative,'' which
gives non-citizen enlistees the opportunity to
naturalize during basic training. Despite these
efforts, service members, veterans, and their families
still face barriers to accessing immigration benefits
and other assistance for which they may be eligible.
In light of the sacrifices that all of these
individuals make and have made for our country, it is
critical that executive departments and agencies
(agencies) enhance collaboration and streamline
processes to ensure that they receive the services and
benefits they need and have earned. Therefore, by the
authority vested in me as President by the Constitution
and the laws of the United States of America, and to
address the issues facing new American service members,
veterans, and their families, I hereby direct as
follows:
Section 1. Interagency Working Group to Support New
American Service Members, Veterans, and their Families.
There is established a Working Group to Support New
American Service Members, Veterans, and their Families
(Working Group) to coordinate records, benefits, and
immigration and citizenship services for these service
members, veterans, and their families. The Working
Group shall convene its first meeting within 10 days of
the date of this memorandum.
(a) The Working Group shall consist of
representatives from:
(i) the Department of State;
(ii) the Department of Defense;
(iii) the Department of Justice;
[[Page 95850]]
(iv) the Department of Labor;
(v) the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
(vi) the Department of Homeland Security.
(b) The Working Group shall consult with additional
agencies or offices, as appropriate.
Sec. 2. Mission and Functions of the Working Group. (a)
The Working Group shall coordinate agency efforts to
support service members, veterans, and their families
who are navigating the immigration, veterans, and
military systems. Such efforts shall include:
(i) coordinating the sharing of military records and other information
relevant to immigration or veterans benefits;
(ii) enhancing awareness of naturalization and immigration benefits to
provide timely assistance and information to service members, veterans, and
their families;
(iii) coordinating and facilitating the process of adjudicating immigration
applications and petitions; and
(iv) other efforts that further support service members, veterans, and
their families.
(b) Within 30 days of the date of this memorandum,
the Working Group shall develop an initial 3-year
strategic action plan that details broad approaches to
be taken to enhance access to services and benefits.
This initial plan shall be supplemented by a more
detailed plan, to be published within 120 days of the
date of this memorandum that discusses the steps to be
taken in greater detail. The Working Group shall also
report periodically on its accomplishments and ongoing
initiatives.
Sec. 3. Outreach. Consistent with the objectives of
this memorandum and applicable law, the Working Group
shall seek the views of representatives of private and
nonprofit organizations; veterans and military service
organizations; State, tribal, and local government
agencies; elected officials; and other interested
persons to inform the Working Group's plans.
Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) The heads of agencies
shall assist and provide information to the Working
Group, consistent with applicable law, as may be
necessary to carry out the functions of the Working
Group. Each agency and office shall bear its own
expense for carrying out activities related to the
Working Group.
(b) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed
to impair or otherwise affect the authority granted by
law to an executive department or an agency, or the
head thereof, or the status of that department or
agency within the Federal Government.
(c) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent
with applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
[[Page 95851]]
(d) This memorandum is not intended to, and does
not, create any right or benefit, substantive or
procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any
party against the United States, its departments,
agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or
agents, or any other person.
(e) The Secretary of Homeland Security is hereby
authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in
the Federal Register.
(Presidential Sig.)
THE WHITE HOUSE,
Washington, December 22, 2016.
[FR Doc. 2016-31690
Filed 12-27-16; 11:15 am]
Billing code 4410-10-P