In a move as desperately needed as bizarre that it is needed at all, Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) has moved to introduce a bill in Congress that would ban individuals with citizenship in foreign lands, particularly with dual citizenship (and thus dual loyalties) from serving in Congress. He framed the move as necessary to protect America from undue foreign influence.
As background, while the Constitution requires that the President of the United States be born a United States citizen, there are no such rules for legislators. Though they must be Americans, they can be naturalized citizens or even have dual citizenship with another land. Many MAGA Americans see such permissiveness as aiding and abetting foreign influence.
So, to help start with getting a grip on that problem, Rep. Randy Fine, who has also introduced a bill that would ban Sharia in the United States, introduced the Disqualifying Dual Loyalty Act. The legislation, if passed, would prohibit any individuals who hold foreign citizenship from serving in the United States Congress.
Describing the purpose of the bill, Rep. Fine’s office noted that it is important to require any potential legislators to renounce all other foreign citizenships before they can be elected to serve. It said, “Under the bill, any candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives or U.S. Senate must renounce any foreign citizenship before being elected to serve.”
Continuing, his office explained that it seems a basic principle that legislators should not be loyal to any country other than the United States. It explained, “The measure reaffirms the principle that Members of Congress must owe their full allegiance to the United States and the United States alone.”
Rep. Fine, for his part, said much the same thing in a statement for the press release. He was quoted as saying, “I think it’s a fair argument to say you can only swear allegiance to one country, and if you’re in Congress, that allegiance should be to America. This bill ensures that the people making laws for our citizens are themselves fully committed to our country, not divided between two.”
Further, commenting on how globalization has exacerbated the problem, Rep. Fine noted, “The Constitution sets basic requirements for office. In a globalized world, dual citizenship is more common than ever, and while that’s fine for private citizens, it’s not acceptable for lawmakers entrusted with America’s national interests.”
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Commenting on the bill to Breitbart News, Fine explained a few more details related to the bill’s functioning, noting, “People who may have dual citizenship can choose to give it up.” He continued, “It’s not that if you’ve ever been a dual citizen” you cannot ever serve in Congress, but rather that “just as you can’t be one moving forward.”
He also noted, commenting on potential pushback, “I learned a long time ago, there’s never a bill that doesn’t have pushback. I’m certain there will be.” He then further noted, “I’m certain that members who happen to be dual citizens won’t like the bill.” He also said, “I don’t know who they are.”
Watch Rep. Fine defend the bill on CNN here: