# 119-hr-5535: Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2025 119-hr-5535, Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39] (D-CA); status introduced (as of 2026-09-26). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5535 - As of: 2026-09-26 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: 119-hr-5535 - Congress: 119 - Title: Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2025 - Status: introduced - Introduced: 2025-09-19 - Sponsor: Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39] (D-CA) - Cosponsors: 11 - Policy area: Immigration - Touches household money: no - Last recorded action: 2026-09-26 ## Summary **Expands pathways to citizenship and legal status for noncitizen service members and veterans.** It would also create cross-agency data sharing, advisory reviews, and limits on removal while eligibility is decided. - Would let eligible noncitizen service members apply for naturalization from their first day of active duty or Selected Reserve and requires USCIS to issue certification within 30 days. It also extends the service-based naturalization eligibility from six months to one year and creates adjustment and waiver paths for veterans. - Creates a path to permanent residence for certain immediate relatives of U.S. citizen service members or veterans who served at least 2 years and were honorably discharged, deeming them inspected and admitted and exempting certain inadmissibility grounds. - Requires a government-wide study of noncitizen veterans removed since Jan 1, 1990 and a 90-day report to Congress, builds a DHS information system to identify veteran noncitizens, bars removal before veteran status is determined, and sets up a Military Family Immigration Advisory Committee for rapid case review. ## Cosponsors (11) - Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5] (D-CT), 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18] (D-CA), 2025-09-19T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12] (D-NY), 2025-09-19T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46] (D-CA), 2025-09-19T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52] (D-CA), 2025-09-19T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-25] (D-CA), 2025-09-19T00:00:00.000Z - Del. Radewagen, Aumua Amata Coleman [R-AS-At Large] (R-AS), 2025-09-19T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Salazar, Maria Elvira [R-FL-27] (R-FL), 2025-09-19T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Tran, Derek [D-CA-45] (D-CA), 2025-09-23T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2] (D-MA), 2025-09-30T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3] (D-IL), 2025-10-28T00:00:00.000Z ## Provisions PRIA read - Green card path for noncitizen veterans: benefit, high. If enacted, DHS could grant lawful permanent resident status to qualifying noncitizen veterans, even with a final removal order. DHS could waive many inadmissibility rules in the public interest, but not security or human‑trafficking grounds, and only some aggravated felonies. DHS would have 180 da… - Easier green cards for military families: benefit, medium. If enacted, certain immediate relatives of U.S. citizens would be treated as if they were inspected and admitted for green cards. This would apply when the U.S. citizen served at least 2 years and, if discharged, left under honorable conditions. These relatives would be exempt from some entry, frau… - More enlistment-site help with citizenship: benefit, low. If enacted, the Defense Department would train JAG lawyers to work with USCIS on cases. Recruiters would be trained on steps to citizenship, limits for family members, and DHS emergency contacts. Each enlistment site would have a USCIS staffer or trained DoD staff to brief noncitizen recruits about… - Checks before deporting noncitizen veterans: benefit, low. If enacted, DHS would build a shared system within 180 days to flag noncitizen veterans, and it would have to check that system before starting removal. A nine‑member advisory committee would review identified cases within 30 days and recommend actions like parole, deferred action, ending or contin… - One-year study on deported veterans: benefit, low. If enacted, Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs would study noncitizen veterans removed from the U.S. from January 1, 1990, to enactment. The study would track service, removals, benefits, and why benefits were not received. Agencies would finish the study within one year and send a re… - Quicker citizenship filings, longer service for troops: mixed, medium. If enacted, eligible noncitizen service members could file for naturalization on their first day of active duty or Selected Reserve. USCIS would need to issue the required certification within 30 days of request. Those who served honorably in support of a contingency operation would be treated like… ## Related bills - 119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026 - 119-hr-2102: Major Richard Star Act - 119-hr-1329: Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum Act - 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act - 119-hr-1787: Roberto Clemente Commemorative Coin Act - 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act ## Sources - [119-hr-5535 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5535) ## Related - [119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9877) - [119-hr-2102: Major Richard Star Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2102) - [119-hr-1329: Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1329) - [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973) - [119-hr-1787: Roberto Clemente Commemorative Coin Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1787) - [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977) - [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5535 (as of 2026-09-26).