I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1164 
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 
MARCH 17, 2011 
Mr. KING of New York (for himself, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. PAUL, Mr. 
BROUN of Georgia, Mr. GERLACH, Mr. GALLEGLY, Mr. BARTLETT, and 
Mr. FORBES) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in 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, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Language 
Act of 2011’’. 
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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. Official Government activities in English. 
‘‘163. Preserving and enhancing the role of the official language. 
‘‘164. Exceptions. 
‘‘§ 161. Declaration of official language 
‘‘English shall be the official language of the Govern-
ment of the United States. 
‘‘§ 162. Official Government activities in English 
‘‘The Government of the United States shall conduct 
its official business in English, including publications, in-
come tax forms, and informational materials. 
‘‘§ 163. Preserving and enhancing the role of the offi-
cial language 
‘‘The Government of the United States shall preserve 
and enhance the role of English as the official language 
of the United States of America. Unless specifically stated 
in applicable law, no person has a right, entitlement, or 
claim to have the Government of the United States or any 
of its officials or representatives act, communicate, per-
form or provide services, or provide materials in any lan-
guage other than English. If exceptions are made, that 
does not create a legal entitlement to additional services 
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in that language or any language other than English. If 
any forms are issued by the Federal Government in a lan-
guage other than English (or such forms are completed 
in a language other than English), the English language 
version of the form is the sole authority for all legal pur-
poses. 
‘‘§ 164. Exceptions 
‘‘This chapter does not apply to the use of a language 
other than English— 
‘‘(1) for religious purposes; 
‘‘(2) for training in foreign languages for inter-
national communication; or 
‘‘(3) to programs in schools designed to encour-
age students to learn foreign languages. 
This chapter does not prevent the Government of the 
United States from providing interpreters for persons over 
62 years of age.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of chap-
ters for title 4, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new item: 
‘‘6. Language of the Government .................................................
161’’. 
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. 
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(C) in paragraphs (1)(B) and (5) of sec-
tion 4(a), by striking ‘‘or (in the case of a State 
or subdivision which sought a declaratory judg-
ment under the second sentence of this sub-
section) 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’’. 
SEC. 4. ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT FOR CERE-
MONIES FOR ADMISSION OF NEW CITIZENS. 
Section 337(d) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1448(d)) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new sentence: ‘‘All public ceremonies in 
which the oath of allegiance is administered pursuant to 
this section shall be conducted solely in the English lan-
guage.’’. 
SEC. 5. NONPREEMPTION. 
This Act (and the amendments made by this Act) 
shall not preempt any law of any State. 
Æ 
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