III 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 458 

Affirming that statements of national unity, including the National Anthem, 

should be recited or sung in English. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 1, 2006 

Mr. ALEXANDER (for himself, Mr. FRIST, Mr. MCCONNELL, Mr. STEVENS, 

Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. SHELBY, Mr. BUNNING, Mr. 

SANTORUM, and Mr. TALENT) submitted the following resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Affirming that statements of national unity, including the 

National Anthem, should be recited or sung in English. 

Whereas Francis Scott Key wrote the words of the StarSpangled Banner in English in 1814, inspired by the 

sight of the American flag still waving at Fort McHenry 

after 25 hours of continual bombardment by British 

forces; 

Whereas Congress declared the Star-Spangled Banner the 

National Anthem of the United States in 1931 (section 

301 of title 3, United States Code); 

Whereas the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United 

States, written in English, was first specified in law by 


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•SRES 458 IS

Congress in 1942 (section 4 of title 4, United States 

Code); 

Whereas the Oath of Allegiance, to which lawful permanent 

residents swear upon becoming citizens of the United 

States (as required under section 337 of the Immigration 

and Naturalization Act (8 U.S.C. 1448)), is based, in 

part, on language originally written in English by General George Washington and sworn by him and his general officers at Valley Forge in 1778; 

Whereas the vast majority of Americans are immigrants or 

the descendants of immigrants, proud of their ancestral 

country, but prouder still to be American; 

Whereas millions of Americans speak or study additional languages, but English is their common language; 

Whereas the original national motto of the United States, ‘‘E 

Pluribus Unum’’, meaning ‘‘from many, one’’, signifies 

the coming together of people from many foreign countries to form one Nation, was incorporated into the Great 

Seal of the United States in 1776, is printed on currency 

of the United States, and inscribed on the wall of the 

Senate chamber; 

Whereas the people of the United States are united not by 

race, ancestry, or origin, but by a common language, 

English, and by common belief in the principles prescribed in the founding documents of the Nation, especially the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution; and 

Whereas, to become citizens of the United States, under sections 312 and 337 of the Immigration and Nationality 

Act (8 U.S.C. 1423 and 1448), lawful permanent residents of the United States who have immigrated from 


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foreign countries must, among other requirements, renounce allegiance to the government of their country of 

origin, swear allegiance to the laws and Constitution of 

the United States, and demonstrate an understanding of 

the English language: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate affirms that statements or 

2 songs that symbolize the unity of the Nation, including 

3 the National Anthem, the Oath of Allegiance sworn by new 

4 United States citizens, and the Pledge of Allegiance to the 

5 Flag of the United States, should be recited or sung in 

6 English, the common language of the United States. 

Æ 


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