NBC ACT: Why Needed?

The Constitution states that the President must be a “natural born Citizen.” This term is unclear as to whether children born or adopted in U.S. territories or overseas to U.S. citizens would be eligible to run for the Office of the President as well as foreign-born children adopted by U.S. citizens. The Act would clarify this term and allow internationally and foreign-born adopted children of U.S. citizens to aspire to the Presidency, just as U.S. born biological children.

The Act will clarify that “natural born Citizens” include children born outside the United States to citizen parents. Members of the U.S. military and foreign services, as well as expatriate families, would be assured that their children are eligible to run for president, on the same basis as children born in the U.S. Similarly, the Act would ensure that children adopted by U.S. citizen parents by age 18 have the same standing as biological children of American children born abroad with the same rights, duties, and responsibilities as biological children, and the same potential for achievements including the achievement of the Office of the President of the United States.

Links

Legislation links for the NBC Act “Why Needed?” page:

S.2128, The NBC Act as introduced in the Senate on February 25, 2004
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_cong_bills&docid=f:s2128is.txt.pdf

S.2128, The NBC Act, Bill Summary and Status
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:SN02128:@@@L&summ2=m&

Introductory Statement of Senator Don Nickles
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2004_record&page=S1597&position=all

Introductory Statement of Senator Jim Inhofe
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2004_record&page=S1598&position=all