WASHINGTON - The United States Senate has unanimously passed a bill named after a slain Trinidadian-born soldier that would expedite the US citizenship of foreigners serving in the US military.

The Kendell Frederick Assistance to Citizenship Act, S. 2516, authorizes the Department of Homeland Security's use of fingerprints, submitted by military personnel at the time of enlistment, to "adjudicate military naturalization applications".

The bill also requires "centralization of military naturalization cases and adjudication within 180 days from receipt of all background checks".

"Thousands of service members who are not yet US citizens put their lives on the line every day to defend America and protect our freedom," said Senator John Cornyn, a member of the Senate's Immigration and Border Security sub-committee.

"But bureaucratic delays in processing military citizenship cases have hindered their ability to gain the privilege and honor of citizenship.

"I'm encouraged that the Senate unanimously passed this appropriate legislation to help honor those who serve in our all-volunteer military," continued Cornyn, a co-sponsor of the bill.

"We are sending a clear message to these troops that we welcome their service and will be proud to call them fellow Americans," he said.

Specialist Frederick, 21, was killed in Iraq, while on his way to be fingerprinted for his citizenship application.

Frederick, a citizen of Trinidad, tried for more than a year to become a US citizen, but his application was delayed several times "due to miscommunication and misinformation from the US government".

In December 2005, Senator Mikulski introduced the Kendell Frederick Citizenship Assistance Act, "which will make it easier for service members to get their citizenship applications processed and demands better coordination among US immigration and military officials.

"I apologized to Specialist Frederick's mother, Mrs. Michelle Murphy, for the failings of the United States government," Senator Mikulski said in a letter to Michael Chertoff, Secretary, Department of Homeland Security.

"I would hope you would do the same," she added.

The Kendell Frederick Assistance to Citizenship Act now goes to the House of Representatives for passage.