Reps. Woodall, Gingrey, and Miller Among Birthright Citizenship Bill's Original Cosponsors
Reps. Rob Woodall (R-Ga.), Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) and Gary Miller (R-Calif.) were the original cosponsors of the Birthright Citizenship Act of 2011 introduced by Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) during the first day of the 112th Congress. The bill currently has 45 cosponsors and amends current U.S. code to require at least one parent to be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident for a new born to receive automatic citizenship.
Rep. Woodall represents Georgia's 7th Congressional District and took over for the retiring John Linder. Rep. Woodall completed a NumbersUSA survey during the campaign and was recognized as a "True Reformer."
Reps. Gingrey and Miller have been longtime champions of reducing overall immigration levels. In past Congresses, Rep. Gingrey was been the lead sponsor of the Nuclear Family Priority Act, which would eliminate most sections of family-preference visas thereby ending Chain Migration.
Rep. Miller was a founding member of the Reclaim American Jobs Caucus during the 111th Congress and took over management of the Birthright Citizenship Act in the last Congress after original sponsor Nathan Deal resigned to run for governor of Georgia.
The United States is one of two industrialized nations (Canada) that still offers automatic citizenship to all children born in the country. The Fourteenth Amendment extends citizenship to all persons born in the U.S. and subject to the jurisdiction, but it also grants Congress the power to enforce the provisions of the amendment. Since the Civil Rights Act of 1866, Congress has defined Birthright Citizenship through appropriate legislation, and current federal law defines the parameters. The Birthright Citizenship Act of 2011 would add to the existing federal code a provision that requires at least one parent of a new born to be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident in order for the new born to receive automatic citizenship.
For the full list of cosponsors, visit the Thomas section of the Library of Congress' website.