IIA
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H.R. 123
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
AUGUST 2, 1996
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
AN ACT
To amend title 4, United States Code, to declare English
as the official language of the Government of the United
States.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
HR 123 RFS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Bill Emerson English
Language Empowerment Act of 1996’’.
TITLE I—ENGLISH LANGUAGE
EMPOWERMENT
SEC. 101. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds and declares the following:
(1) The United States is comprised of individ-
uals and groups from diverse ethnic, cultural, and
linguistic backgrounds.
(2) The United States has benefited and
continutes to benefit from this rich diversity.
(3) Throughout the history of the United
States, the common thread binding individuals of
differing backgrounds has been a common language.
(4) In order to preserve unity in diversity, and
to prevent division along linguistic lines, the Federal
Government should maintain a language common to
all people.
(5) English has historically been the common
language and the language of opportunity in the
United States.
(6) The purpose of this title is to help immi-
grants better assimilate and take full advantage of
economic and occupational opportunities in the Unit-
ed States.
HR 123 RFS
(7) By learning the English language, immi-
grants will be empowered with the language skills
and literacy necessary to become responsible citizens
and productive workers in the United States.
(8) The use of a single common language in
conducting official businesss of the Federal Govern-
ment will promote efficiency and fairness to all peo-
ple.
(9) English should be recognized in law as the
language of official business of the Federal Govern-
ment.
(10) Any monetary savings derived from the en-
actment of this title should be used for the teaching
of the English language to non-English speaking im-
migrants.
SEC. 102. ENGLISH AS THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF FED-
ERAL GOVERNMENT.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title 4, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new chapter:
‘‘CHAPTER 6—LANGUAGE OF THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
‘‘Sec.
‘‘161. Declaration of official language of Federal Government
‘‘162. Preserving and enhancing the role of the official language
‘‘163. Official Federal Government activities in English
‘‘164. Standing
‘‘165. Reform of naturalization requirements
‘‘166. Application
‘‘167. Rule of construction
HR 123 RFS
‘‘168. Affirmation of constitutional protections
‘‘169. Definitions
‘‘§ 161. Declaration of official language of Federal
Government
‘‘The official language of the Federal Government is
English.
‘‘§ 162. Preserving and enhancing the role of the offi-
cial language
‘‘Representatives of the Federal Government shall
have an affirmative obligation to preserve and enhance the
role of English as the official language of the Federal Gov-
ernment. Such obligation shall include encouraging great-
er opportunities for individuals to learn the English lan-
guage.
‘‘§ 163. Official Federal Government activities in Eng-
lish
‘‘(a) CONDUCT
OF BUSINESS.—Representatives of
the Federal Government shall conduct its official business
in English.
‘‘(b) DENIAL OF SERVICES.—No person shall be de-
nied services, assistance, or facilities, directly or indirectly
provided by the Federal Government solely because the
person communicates in English.
‘‘(c) ENTITLEMENT.—Every person in the United
States is entitled—
HR 123 RFS
‘‘(1) to communicate with representatives of the
Federal Government in English;
‘‘(2) to receive information from or contribute
information to the Federal Government in English;
and
‘‘(3) to be informed of or be subject to official
orders in English.
‘‘§ 164. Standing
‘‘A person injured by a violation of this chapter may
in a civil action (including an action under chapter 151
of title 28) obtain appropriate relief.
‘‘§ 165. Reform of naturalization requirements
‘‘(a) FLUENCY.—It has been the longstanding na-
tional belief that full citizenship in the United States re-
quires fluency in English. English is the language of op-
portunity for all immigrants to take their rightful place
in society in the United States.
‘‘(b) CEREMONIES.—All authorized officials shall
conduct all naturalization ceremonies entirely in English.
‘‘§ 166. Application
‘‘Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the
provisions of this chapter shall supersede any existing
Federal law that contravenes such provisions (such as by
requiring the use of a language other than English for
official business of the Federal Government).
HR 123 RFS
‘‘(I) using terms of art or phrases from
languages other than English.
‘‘(3) UNITED
STATES.—The term ‘United
States’ means the several States and the District of
Columbia.’’.
(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 Federal Government ................................
161’’.
SEC. 103. PREEMPTION.
This title (and the amendments made by this title)
shall not preempt any law of any State.
SEC. 104. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by section 102 shall take ef-
fect on the date that is 180 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act.
TITLE 
II—REPEAL 
OF 
BILIN-
GUAL 
VOTING 
REQUIRE-
MENTS
SEC. 201. REPEAL OF BILINGUAL VOTING REQUIREMENTS
(a) BILINGUAL ELECTION REQUIREMENTS.—Section
203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973aa–
1a) is repealed.
(b) VOTING RIGHTS.—Section 4 of the Voting Rights
Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973b) is amended by striking
subsection (f).
HR 123 RFS
SEC. 202. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.
(a) REFERENCES
TO SECTION 203.—The Voting
Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973 et seq.) is amended—
(1) in section 204, by striking ‘‘or 203,’’; and
(2) in section 205, by striking ‘‘, 202, or 203’’
and inserting ‘‘or 202’’.
(b) REFERENCES TO SECTION 4.—The Voting Rights
Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973 et seq.) is amended—
(1) in sections 2(a), 3(a), 3(b), 3(c), 4(d), 5, 6,
and 13, by striking ‘‘, or in contravention of the
guarantees set forth in section 4(f)(2)’’;
(2) in paragraphs (1)(A) and (3) of section
4(a), by striking ‘‘or (in the case of a State or sub-
division seeking a declaratory judgment under the
second sentence of this subsection) in contravention
of the guarantees of subsection (f)(2)’’;
(3) in paragraph (1)(B) of section 4(a), by
striking ‘‘or (in the case of a State or subdivision
seeking a declaratory judgment under the second
sentence of this subsection) that denials or
abridgements of the right to vote in contravention of
the guarantees of subsection (f)(2) have occurred
anywhere in the territory of such State or subdivi-
sion’’; and
(4) in paragraph (5) of section 4(a), by striking
‘‘or (in the case of a State or subdivision which
HR 123 RFS
sought a declaratory judgment under the second sen-
tence 
of 
this 
subsection) 
that 
denials 
or
abridgements of the right to vote in contravention of
the guarantees of subsection (f)(2) have occurred
anywhere in the territory of such State or subdivi-
sion’’.
Passed the House of Representatives August 1,
1996.
Attest:
ROBIN H. CARLE,
Clerk.
LINDA NAVE,
Deputy Clerk.