SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Legislators on Friday unanimously approved a bill they say would allow thousands of people of Haitian descent born in the Dominican Republic the opportunity to obtain naturalized citizenship.

The Dominican lower house originally was expected to create a committee to analyze the bill, but legislators noted there was an urgency to vote on the measure filed this week by President Danilo Medina’s office. The proposal now goes to the Senate for debate.