Declaration of Official Language Act of 1997

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Declaration of Official Language Act 
of 1997''.

SEC. 2. ENGLISH AS OFFICIAL LANGUAGE.

    (a) In General.--Title 4, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new chapter:

                ``CHAPTER 6--LANGUAGE OF THE GOVERNMENT

``Sec.
``161. Declaration of official language.
``162. Preferred language of communication
``163. Preserving and enhancing the role of the official language
``164. Duties of citizenship.
``165. Reform of naturalization requirement.
``166. Exceptions.
``167. Preemption.
``168. Construction.
``169. Enforcement.
``Sec. 161. Declaration of official language
    ``English is the official language of the Government of the United 
States.
``Sec. 162. Preferred language of communication
    ``English is the preferred language of communication among citizens 
of the United States.
``Sec. 163. Preserving and enhancing the role of the official language
    ``The Government of the United States shall promote and support the 
use of English for communications among United States citizens. 
Communications by officers and employees of the Government of the 
United States with United States citizens shall be in English.
``Sec. 164. Duties of citizenship
    ``All United States citizens should be encouraged to read, write, 
and speak English to the extent of their physical and mental abilities.
``Sec. 165. Reform of naturalization requirements
    ``(a) It has been the long-standing national belief that full 
citizenship in the United States requires fluency in English. English 
is the language of opportunity for all immigrants to take their 
rightful place in American society.
    ``(b) The Immigration and Naturalization Service shall--
            ``(1) enforce the established English language proficiency 
        standard for all applicants for United States citizenship, and
            ``(2) conduct all naturalization ceremonies entirely in 
        English.
``Sec. 166. Exceptions
    ``This chapter does not apply to the use of a language other than 
English for--
            ``(1) religious purposes,
            ``(2) training in foreign languages for international 
        communication, or
            ``(3) use of non-English terms of art in government 
        documents.
``Sec. 167. Preemption
    ``This chapter preempts any State or Federal law which is 
inconsistent with this chapter.
``Sec. 168. Construction
    ``This Act is not intended to affect programs in schools designed 
to encourage students to learn foreign languages.
``Sec. 169. Enforcement
    ``(a) Cause of Action.--Whoever is injured by a violation of this 
chapter may, in a civil action, obtain appropriate relief.
    ``(b) Attorney's Fees.--In any action under this chapter, the court 
may allow a prevailing party, other than the United States, a 
reasonable attorney's fee as part of costs.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of chapters for title 4, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``6. Language of the Government.............................     161''.
    (c) Repeals.--Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965 (other than sections 7201 through 7309) is repealed.

SEC. 3. REPEAL OF BILINGUAL VOTING REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Bilingual election requirements.-- Section 203 of the 
        Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973aa-1a) is repealed.
            (2) Voting rights.--Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act of 
        1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973b) is amended by striking subsection (f).
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) References to section 203.--The Voting Rights Act of 
        1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973 et seq.) is amended--
                    (A) in section 204, by striking ``or 203,''; and
                    (B) in the first sentence of section 205, by 
                striking ``, 202, or 203'' and inserting ``or 202''.
            (2) References to section 4.--The Voting Rights Act of 1965 
        (42 U.S.C. 1973 et seq.) is amended--
                    (A) in sections 2(a), 3(a), 3(b), 3(c), 4(d), 5, 6, 
                and 13, by striking ``, or in contravention of the 
                guarantees set forth in section 4(f)(2)'';
                    (B) in paragraphs (1)(A) and (3) of section 4(a), 
                by striking ``or (in the case of a State or subdivision 
                seeking a declaratory judgment under the second 
                sentence of this subsection) in contravention of the 
                guarantees of subsection (f)(2)''; and
                    (C) in paragraphs (1)(B) and (5) of section 4(a), 
                by striking ``or (in the case of a State or subdivision 
                which sought a declaratory judgment under the second 
                sentence of this subsection) that denials or 
                abridgments of the right to vote in contravention of 
                the guarantees of subsection (f)(2) have occurred 
                anywhere in the territory of such State or 
                subdivision''.

Summary: Declaration of Official Language Act of 1997 - Declares English to be the official language of the US Government. States that English is the preferred language of communication among US citizens. Requires the US Government to promote and support the use of English for communications among US citizens. Requires communications by officers and employees of the US Government with US citizens to be in English. Directs the Immigration and Naturalization Service to: (1) enforce the established English language proficiency standard for all applicants for US citizenship. And (2) conduct all naturalization ceremonies entirely in English. Allows anyone injured by a violation of such provisions to obtain appropriate relief in a civil action. Authorizes the court in any such action to allow a prevailing party, other than the US Government, a reasonable attorney's fee as part of costs. Repeals the Bilingual Education Act . Amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to repeal bilingual voting requirements.