I

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 622

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

language of the Government of the United States.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FEBRUARY 5, 1997

Mr. STUMP (for himself, Mr. PETRI, Mr. HERGER, Mr. HILLEARY, Mr.

BUNNING, and Mr. EWING) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, 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

A BILL

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

as the official language of the Government of the United

States.

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 ‘‘Declaration of Official

5 Language Act of 1997’’.

6 SEC. 2. ENGLISH AS OFFICIAL LANGUAGE.

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

8 amended by adding at the end the following new chapter:
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1 ‘‘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.

2 ‘‘§ 161. Declaration of official language

3 ‘‘English is the official language of the Government

4 of the United States.

5 ‘‘§ 162. Preferred language of communication

6 ‘‘English is the preferred language of communication

7 among citizens of the United States.

8 ‘‘§ 163. Preserving and enhancing the role of the offi9 cial language

10 ‘‘The Government of the United States shall promote

11 and support the use of English for communications among

12 United States citizens. Communications by officers and

13 employees of the Government of the United States with

14 United States citizens shall be in English.

15 ‘‘§ 164. Duties of citizenship

16 ‘‘All United States citizens should be encouraged to

17 read, write, and speak English to the extent of their phys18 ical and mental abilities.
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1 ‘‘§ 165. Reform of naturalization requirements

2 ‘‘(a) It has been the long-standing national belief that

3 full citizenship in the United States requires fluency in

4 English. English is the language of opportunity for all im5 migrants to take their rightful place in American society.

6 ‘‘(b) The Immigration and Naturalization Service

7 shall—

8 ‘‘(1) enforce the established English language

9 proficiency standard for all applicants for United

10 States citizenship, and

11 ‘‘(2) conduct all naturalization ceremonies en12 tirely in English.

13 ‘‘§ 166. Exceptions

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

15 other than English for—

16 ‘‘(1) religious purposes,

17 ‘‘(2) training in foreign languages for inter18 national communication, or

19 ‘‘(3) use of non-English terms of art in govern20 ment documents.

21 ‘‘§ 167. Preemption

22 ‘‘This chapter preempts any State or Federal law

23 which is inconsistent with this chapter.
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1 ‘‘§ 168. Construction

2 ‘‘This Act is not intended to affect programs in

3 schools designed to encourage students to learn foreign

4 languages.

5 ‘‘§ 169. Enforcement

6 ‘‘(a) CAUSE OF ACTION.—Whoever is injured by a

7 violation of this chapter may, in a civil action, obtain ap8 propriate relief.

9 ‘‘(b) ATTORNEY’S FEES.—In any action under this

10 chapter, the court may allow a prevailing party, other than

11 the United States, a reasonable attorney’s fee as part of

12 costs.’’.

13 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of chapters

14 for title 4, United States Code, is amended by adding at

15 the end the following new item:

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

16 (c) REPEALS.—Title VII of the Elementary and Sec17 ondary Education Act of 1965 (other than sections 7201

18 through 7309) is repealed.

19 SEC. 3. REPEAL OF BILINGUAL VOTING REQUIREMENTS.

20 (a) IN GENERAL.—

21 (1) BILINGUAL ELECTION REQUIREMENTS.—

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

23 U.S.C. 1973aa–1a) is repealed.
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1 (2) VOTING RIGHTS.—Section 4 of the Voting

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

3 by striking subsection (f).

4 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—

5 (1) REFERENCES TO SECTION 203.—The Voting

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

7 amended—

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

9 and

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

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

12 202’’.

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

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

15 amended—

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

17 5, 6, and 13, by striking ‘‘, or in contravention

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

19 (B) in paragraphs (1)(A) and (3) of sec20 tion 4(a), by striking ‘‘or (in the case of a State

21 or subdivision seeking a declaratory judgment

22 under the second sentence of this subsection) in

23 contravention of the guarantees of subsection

24 (f)(2)’’; and
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1 (C) in paragraphs (1)(B) and (5) of sec2 tion 4(a), by striking ‘‘or (in the case of a State

3 or subdivision which sought a declaratory judg4 ment under the second sentence of this sub5 section) that denials or abridgments of the right

6 to vote in contravention of the guarantees of

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

8 territory of such State or subdivision’’.

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