Union Calendar No. 387
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 123
[Report No. 104–723]
A BILL
To amend title 4, United States Code, to declare
English as the official language of the Govern-
ment of the United States.
JULY 30, 1996
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Commit-
tee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and
ordered to be printed
IB
Union Calendar No. 387
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 123
[Report No. 104–723]
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
JANUARY 4, 1995
Mr. EMERSON (for himself, Mr. BARR, Mr. WAMP, Mr. DORNAN, Mr. HAN-
SEN, Mr. GUTKNECHT, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Mr.
KINGSTON, Mr. STUMP, Mr. EHLERS, Mr. BUNNING of Kentucky, Mr.
CALVERT, Mr. MONTGOMERY, Mr. ARCHER, Mr. DICKEY, Mr. RAMSTAD,
Mr. LIVINGSTON, Mr. BEVILL, Mr. FAWELL, Mr. CLINGER, Mr. KING,
Mr. CANADY, Mr. PORTER, Mr. LINDER, Mr. REGULA, Mr. PACKARD,
Mr. HUTCHINSON, Mrs. MEYERS of Kansas, Mr. BARRETT of Nebraska,
Mr. KNOLLENBERG, Mr. TALENT, Mr. HANCOCK, Mr. SOLOMON, Mr.
PETRI, Mr. BALLENGER, Mr. BACHUS, and Mrs. FOWLER) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Economic and
Educational Opportunities
JULY 30, 1996
Additional sponsors: Mr. GOODLATTE, Mr. WELLER, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. OXLEY,
Mr. PAYNE of Virginia, Mr. BLILEY, Mr. BEREUTER, Mr. TAYLOR of
Mississippi, Mr. HASTERT, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. WELDON of
Pennsylvania, Mr. NORWOOD, Mr. BAKER of California, Mrs. VUCANO-
VICH, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. CALLAHAN, Mr. QUINN, Mr. COX of California,
Mr. HALL of Texas, Mr. MCKEON, Mr. SPENCE, Mr. MOORHEAD, Mr.
CHRYSLER, Mr. BATEMAN, Mr. COBLE, Mr. COLLINS of Georgia, Mr.
HEINEMAN, Mr. LUCAS, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr.
PAXON, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. SCARBOROUGH, Mr.
KOLBE, Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina, Mr. FOLEY, Mr. ROGERS, Mr.
SHUSTER, Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina, Ms. PRYCE, Mr. BURR, Mr.
YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. POMBO, Mr. JONES, Mr. FUNDERBURK, Mr.
SMITH of Texas, Mr. BONO, Mr. LEWIS of California, Mrs. MYRICK, Mr.
FIELDS of Texas, Mr. HOEKSTRA, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mrs. CHENOWETH, Mr.
GANSKE, Mr. CHRISTENSEN, Mrs. KELLY, Mr. LIGHTFOOT, Mr. ISTOOK,
Mr. BREWSTER, Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mr. MYERS of Indiana, Mr.
HASTINGS of Washington, Mr. NEY, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. SAM JOHNSON
of Texas, Mrs. ROUKEMA, Mrs. SEASTRAND, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. HUNTER,
Mr. SISISKY, Mr. BROWDER, Mr. PICKETT, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. BILBRAY,
Mr. FORBES, Mr. KIM, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. ARMEY, Mr. COMBEST, Mr.
BRYANT of Tennessee, Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky, Mr. HILLEARY, Mr. PE-
TERSON of Minnesota, Mr. QUILLEN, Mr. DEAL of Georgia, Mr. CRANE,
Mr. COOLEY of Oregon, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. SOUDER, Mr. SANFORD, Mr.
GEKAS, Mr. WELDON of Florida, Mr. NETHERCUTT, Mr. ALLARD, Mr.
STOCKMAN, Mr. GILCHREST, Mr. CLEMENT, Mr. PARKER, Ms. GREENE
of Utah, Mr. TORKILDSEN, Mr. ZIMMER, Mr. EVERETT, Mr. FLANAGAN,
Mr. HAYWORTH, Mr. SCHAEFER, Mr. HORN, Mr. SAXTON, Mr. KASICH,
Mr. MCCRERY, Mr. HOKE, Mr. EWING, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. MCCOLLUM,
Mr. ZELIFF, Ms. DUNN of Washington, Mr. CHAMBLISS, Mr. CREMEANS,
Mr. METCALF, Mr. RADANOVICH, Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut, Mr.
SALMON, Mr. WHITFIELD, Mr. RIGGS, Mr. BAKER of Louisiana, Mr.
TANNER, Mrs. CUBIN, Mr. BASS, Mr. KLUG, Mr. ROTH, Mr. TAUZIN,
Mr. HERGER, Mr. WILSON, Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma, Mr. CAMP, Mr.
GALLEGLY, Mr. NUSSLE, Mr. BARTON of Texas, Mr. DAVIS, Mr.
SHADEGG, Mr. HYDE, Mr. WICKER, Mr. COBURN, Mr. WOLF, Mrs. LIN-
COLN, Mr. TIAHRT, Mr. HOSTETTLER, Mr. THOMAS, Mr. LATHAM, Ms.
RIVERS, Mr. UPTON, Mr. DELAY, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. FRANKS of New
Jersey, Mr. BLUTE, Mr. BROWNBACK, Mr. MARTINI, Mr. POMEROY, and
Mr. PORTMAN
JULY 30, 1996
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 4, 1995]
A BILL
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,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘English Language
Empowerment Act of 1996’’.
SEC. 2. 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 contin-
ues 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 Act is to help immi-
grants better assimilate and take full advantage of
economic and occupational opportunities in the
United States.
(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 con-
ducting official business of the Federal Government
will promote efficiency and fairness to all people.
(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 Act should be used for the teaching of
the English language to non-English speaking immi-
grants.
SEC. 3. ENGLISH AS THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF FEDERAL
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
‘‘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 Govern-
ment. Such obligation shall include encouraging greater op-
portunities for individuals to learn the English language.
‘‘§ 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 denied
services, assistance, or facilities, directly or indirectly pro-
vided by the Federal Government solely because the person
communicates in English.
‘‘(c) ENTITLEMENT.—Every person in the United
States is entitled—
‘‘(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 national
belief that full citizenship in the United States requires flu-
ency in English. English is the language of opportunity for
all immigrants to take their rightful place in society in the
United States.
‘‘(b) CEREMONIES.—All authorized officials shall con-
duct all naturalization ceremonies entirely in English.
‘‘§ 166. Application
‘‘Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the pro-
visions 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).
‘‘§ 167. Rule of construction
‘‘Nothing in this chapter shall be construed—
‘‘(1) to prohibit a Member of Congress or an em-
ployee or official of the Federal Government, while
performing official business, from communicating
orally with another person in a language other than
English;
‘‘(2) to discriminate against or restrict the rights
of any individual in the country; and
‘‘(3) to discourage or prevent the use of lan-
guages other than English in any nonofficial capac-
ity.
‘‘§ 168. Affirmation of constitutional protections
‘‘Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to be incon-
sistent with the Constitution of the United States.
‘‘§ 169. Definitions
‘‘For purposes of this chapter:
‘‘(1) FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.—The term ‘Federal
Government’ means all branches of the national Gov-
ernment and all employees and officials of the na-
tional Government while performing official business.
‘‘(2) OFFICIAL
BUSINESS.—The term ‘official
business’ means governmental actions, documents, or
policies which are enforceable with the full weight and
authority of the Federal Government, and includes
publications, income tax forms, and informational
materials, but does not include—
‘‘(A) teaching of languages;
‘‘(B) actions, documents, or policies nec-
essary for—
‘‘(i) national security issues; or
‘‘(ii) international relations, trade, or
commerce;
‘‘(C) actions or documents that protect the
public health and safety;
‘‘(D) actions or documents that facilitate
the activities of the Census;
‘‘(E) actions, documents, or policies that are
not enforceable in the United States;
‘‘(F) actions that protect the rights of vic-
tims of crimes or criminal defendants;
‘‘(G) actions in which the United States has
initiated a civil lawsuit; or
‘‘(H) documents that utilize 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 Colum-
bia.’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of chapters
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. 4. PREEMPTION.
This Act (and the amendments made by this Act) shall
not preempt any law of any State.
SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by section 3 shall take effect
on the date that is 180 days after the date of enactment
of this Act.