I

104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1005

To amend title 4, United States Code, to declare English as the official

language of the Government of the United States, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FEBRUARY 21, 1995

Mr. KING (for himself, Mr. ISTOOK, Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas, and Mr.

FORBES) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities, and in addition to the

Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined

by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall

within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

JULY 14, 1995

Additional sponsors: Mr. STOCKMAN, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. GOODLATTE,

Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. WELDON of Florida, Mr. JONES, Mr. WELLER, Mr.

BLUTE, Mrs. CHENOWETH, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr.

RADANOVICH, Mr. HOKE, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. NEY, Mr. EHRLICH, Mr.

PAXON, Mr. BONO, Mr. EWING, Mr. STUMP, Mr. CHRISTENSEN, Mrs.

KELLY, Mr. FUNDERBURK, Mr. PORTER, Mr. PETRI, Mr. BARRETT of

Nebraska, and Mr. BACHUS

A BILL

To amend title 4, United States Code, to declare English

as the official language of the Government of the United

States, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Language

3 Act of 1995’’.

4 SEC. 2. ENGLISH AS OFFICIAL LANGUAGE.

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Title 4, United States Code, is

6 amended by adding at the end the following new chapter:

7 ‘‘CHAPTER 6—LANGUAGE OF THE GOVERNMENT

‘‘Sec.

‘‘161. Declaration of official language.

‘‘162. Official Government activities in English.

‘‘163. Exceptions.

8 ‘‘§ 161. Declaration of official language

9 ‘‘English shall be the official language of the Govern10 ment of the United States.

11 ‘‘§ 162. Official Government activities in English

12 ‘‘The Government of the United States shall conduct

13 its official business in English, including publications, in14 come tax forms, and informational materials.

15 ‘‘§ 163. Exceptions

16 ‘‘This chapter does not apply to the use of a language

17 other than English—

18 ‘‘(1) for religious purposes;

19 ‘‘(2) for training in foreign languages for inter20 national communication;

21 ‘‘(3) to programs in schools designed to encour22 age students to learn foreign languages; or

23 ‘‘(4) by persons over 62 years of age.
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1 ‘‘This chapter does not prevent the Government of

2 the United States from providing interpreters for persons

3 over 62 years of age.’’.

4 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of chap5 ters for title 4, United States Code, is amended by adding

6 at the end the following new item:

‘‘6. Language of the Government ................................................. 161’’.

7 SEC. 3. TERMINATION OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION PRO8 GRAMS.

9 (a) REPEAL OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION ACT.—The

10 Bilingual Education Act (20 U.S.C. 3281 et seq.) is re11 pealed.

12 (b) TERMINATION OF OFFICE OF BILINGUAL EDU13 CATION AND MINORITY LANGUAGES AFFAIRS.—The Of14 fice of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Af15 fairs in the Department of Education, established by part

16 D of the Bilingual Education Act (20 U.S.C. 3331 et

17 seq.), is terminated.

18 (c) RECAPTURE OF UNEXPENDED FUNDS.—Any

19 funds that have been provided as grants under the Bilin20 gual Education Act (20 U.S.C. 3281 et seq.), and that

21 have not been expended before the date of the enactment

22 of this Act, shall be recaptured by the Secretary of Edu23 cation and deposited in the general fund of the Treasury.

24 (d) TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS.—
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1 (1) COMPLETION OF PROGRAMS DURING CUR2 RENT SCHOOL YEAR.—Subsections (a) and (c) shall

3 not apply to any program under part A of the Bilin4 gual Education Act (20 U.S.C. 3291 et seq.) until

5 completion of the most recent school year of the pro6 gram that commenced before the date of the enact7 ment of this Act.

8 (2) ASSISTANCE FOR TRANSITION TO SPECIAL

9 ALTERNATIVE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS.—During

10 the 1-year period beginning on the date of the enact11 ment of this Act, the Secretary of Education may

12 assist local educational agencies in the transition of

13 children enrolled in programs assisted under the Bi14 lingual Education Act (20 U.S.C. 3281 et seq.) to

15 Special Alternative Instructional Programs that do

16 not make use of the native language of the student.

17 SEC. 4. REPEAL OF BILINGUAL VOTING REQUIREMENTS.

18 (a) IN GENERAL.—

19 (1) BILINGUAL ELECTION REQUIREMENTS.—

20 Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42

21 U.S.C. 1973aa–1a) is repealed.

22 (2) VOTING RIGHTS.—Section 4 of the Voting

23 Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973b) is amended

24 by striking subsection (f).

25 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
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1 (1) REFERENCES TO SECTION 203.—The Voting

2 Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973 et seq.) is

3 amended—

4 (A) in section 204, by striking ‘‘or 203,’’;

5 and

6 (B) in the first sentence of section 205, by

7 striking ‘‘, 202, or 203’’ and inserting ‘‘or

8 202’’.

9 (2) REFERENCES TO SECTION 4.—The Voting

10 Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973 et seq.) is

11 amended—

12 (A) in sections 2(a), 3(a), 3(b), 3(c), 4(d),

13 5, 6, and 13, by striking ‘‘, or in contravention

14 of the guarantees set forth in section 4(f)(2)’’;

15 (B) in paragraphs (1)(A) and (3) of sec16 tion 4(a), by striking ‘‘or (in the case of a State

17 or subdivision seeking a declaratory judgment

18 under the second sentence of this subsection) in

19 contravention of the guarantees of subsection

20 (f)(2)’’; and

21 (C) in paragraphs (1)(B) and (5) of sec22 tion 4(a), by striking ‘‘or (in the case of a State

23 or subdivision which sought a declaratory judg24 ment under the second sentence of this sub25 section) that denials or abridgments of the right
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1 to vote in contravention of the guarantees of

2 subsection (f)(2) have occurred anywhere in the

3 territory of such State or subdivision’’.

4 SEC. 5. ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT FOR CERE5 MONIES FOR ADMISSION OF NEW CITIZENS.

6 Section 337(d) of the Immigration and Nationality

7 Act (8 U.S.C. 1448(d)) is amended by adding at the end

8 the following new sentence: ‘‘All public ceremonies in

9 which the oath of allegiance is administered pursuant to

10 this section shall be conducted solely in the English lan11 guage.’’.

12 SEC. 6. NONPREEMPTION.

13 This Act (and the amendments made by this Act)

14 shall not preempt any law of any State.

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