I 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5759 

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

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

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 10, 2008 

Mr. BROUN of Georgia (for himself, Mr. BILBRAY, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mrs. 

DRAKE, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. AKIN, Mrs. 

MUSGRAVE, Mr. PITTS, Mr. GOODE, Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee, Mr. 

WALBERG, Mr. ADERHOLT, Mr. MARCHANT, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. FRANKS

of Arizona, Mr. PRICE of Georgia, Mr. GINGREY, Mr. DEAL of Georgia, 

Mr. LINDER, Mr. KINGSTON, Mr. WAMP, Mr. TANCREDO, Mr. COBLE, 

Ms. FOXX, Mr. POE, and Mrs. MYRICK) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 

A BILL 

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

as the national 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, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘English as the Official 

5 Language Act of 2008’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO TITLE 4. 

2 Title 4, United States Code, is amended by adding 

3 at the end the following: 

4 ‘‘CHAPTER 6—LANGUAGE OF THE 

5 GOVERNMENT 

‘‘161. Declaration of national language. 

‘‘162. Preserving and enhancing the role of the national language. 

‘‘163. Use of language other than English. 

6 ‘‘SEC. 161. DECLARATION OF NATIONAL LANGUAGE. 

7 ‘‘English shall be the national language of the Gov8 ernment of the United States. 

9 ‘‘SEC. 162. PRESERVING AND ENHANCING THE ROLE OF 

10 THE NATIONAL LANGUAGE. 

11 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Government of the United 

12 States shall preserve and enhance the role of English as 

13 the national language of the United States of America. 

14 ‘‘(b) EXCEPTION.—Unless specifically provided by 

15 statute, no person has a right, entitlement, or claim to 

16 have the Government of the United States or any of its 

17 officials or representatives act, communicate, perform or 

18 provide services, or provide materials in any language 

19 other than English. If an exception is made with respect 

20 to the use of a language other than English, the exception 

21 does not create a legal entitlement to additional services 

22 in that language or any language other than English. 

23 ‘‘(c) FORMS.—If any form is issued by the Federal 

24 Government in a language other than English (or such 


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1 form is completed in a language other than English), the 

2 English language version of the form is the sole authority 

3 for all legal purposes. 

4 ‘‘SEC. 163. USE OF LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH. 

5 ‘‘Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit the use of a 

6 language other than English.’’. 

7 SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENT. 

8 The table of chapters for title 4, United States Code, 

9 is amended by adding at the end the following new item: 

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

Æ 


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