DEAR EDITOR:

Below is a letter I sent to U.S. Sens. Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted and to U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli.

Sirs,

In regards to your proposed Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025, I would ask you to please stop this act from moving forward.

A little story about my son Chris: Chris signed up to serve in the Army in September 2001 after our country was attacked. It was his senior year in Boardman High School. He was motivated by his patriotism and the only requirements were for him to graduate high school and to turn 18. He would become the 4th generation of our family to serve our country.

Chris spent three years of his life in Iraq and Afghanistan as an intelligence analyst. Between active duty and IRR, he was committed for a total of eight years.

Toward the end of IRR, in his pursuit of running marathons, Chris met the woman he would eventually marry. It was at an Antarctic marathon where he met Liz, who was from New Zealand. Chris and Liz married and have settled in Christchurch with their three children.

Like you, Sen. Moreno, I am a naturalized citizen of the United States. I was born in Japan to American parents who served during the Korean conflict. I was never a Japanese citizen but even if I was, why would I be made to choose one citizenship over another?

You were not forced into renouncing your Colombian citizenship. The U.S. Supreme Court holds that Congress has no power under the Constitution to take away a person’s citizenship. U.S. law does not require a U.S. citizen to choose between U.S. citizenship and another.

This act would harm far more Americans with dual citizenship than it would harm the citizens that this act is intending to target.

This act would cause irreparable harm to my family and countless other families.

Again, I ask you to not advance this proposed act. Thank you.

DOUG CONNER

Boardman