Honorary citizenship of the United States Honorary citizenship of the United States A person of exceptional merit, generally a non-United States citizen, may be declared an honorary citizen of the United States by an Act of Congress or by a proclamation issued by the President of the United States, pursuant to authorization granted by Congress. Eight people have been so honored, six posthumously, and two, Sir Winston Churchill and Mother Teresa, during their lifetimes. For Lafayette and Mother Teresa, the honor was proclaimed directly by an Act of Congress. In the other cases, an Act of Congress was passed authorizing the President to grant honorary citizenship
An Act further to protect the commerce of the United States and the next day was read the third time, passed and sent to the Senate for concurrence. On July 3, 1798 the Senate received the bill from the House and read it the first and second time. On July 6, 1798 the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 18 ayes and 4 nays. The bill was signed into law by President Adams on July 9, 1798. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States shall be, and he