I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 931
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 
FEBRUARY 26, 2003
Mr. KING of New York (for himself, Mr. PAUL, Mr. GOODE, Mr. CRANE, Mr. 
DUNCAN, Mr. FORBES, Mr. AKIN, Mr. EVERETT, Mr. COBLE, Mr. BURR, 
Mr. BAKER, Mr. NEY, Mr. KING of Iowa, and Mr. DOOLITTLE) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Edu-
cation and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judi-
ciary, 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, 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 2003’’.
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 
in that language or any language other than English.
‘‘§ 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; 
‘‘(3) to programs in schools designed to encour-
age students to learn foreign languages; or 
‘‘(4) by persons over 62 years of age. 
‘‘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. TERMINATION OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION PRO-
GRAMS. 
(a) REPEAL OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION ACT.—The 
Bilingual Education Act (20 U.S.C. 3281 et seq.) is re-
pealed. 
(b) TERMINATION OF OFFICE OF BILINGUAL EDU-
CATION AND MINORITY LANGUAGES AFFAIRS.—The Of-
fice of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Af-
fairs in the Department of Education, established by part
D of the Bilingual Education Act (20 U.S.C. 3331 et 
seq.), is terminated. 
(c) RECAPTURE
OF UNEXPENDED FUNDS.—Any 
funds that have been provided as grants under the Bilin-
gual Education Act (20 U.S.C. 3281 et seq.), and that 
have not been expended before the date of the enactment 
of this Act, shall be recaptured by the Secretary of Edu-
cation and deposited in the general fund of the Treasury. 
(d) TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS.—
(1) COMPLETION OF PROGRAMS DURING CUR-
RENT SCHOOL YEAR.—Subsections (a) and (c) shall 
not apply to any program under part A of the Bilin-
gual Education Act (20 U.S.C. 3291 et seq.) until 
completion of the most recent school year of the pro-
gram that commences after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
(2) ASSISTANCE FOR TRANSITION TO SPECIAL 
ALTERNATIVE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS.—During 
the 1-year period beginning on the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Education may 
assist local educational agencies in the transition of 
children enrolled in programs assisted under the Bi-
lingual Education Act (20 U.S.C. 3281 et seq.) to 
Special Alternative Instructional Programs that do 
not make use of the native language of the student.
SEC. 4. 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. 
(2) VOTING RIGHTS.—Section 4 of the Voting 
Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973b) is amended 
by striking subsection (f). 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
(1) REFERENCES TO SECTION 203.—The Voting 
Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973 et seq.) is 
amended—
(A) in section 204, by striking ‘‘or 203,’’; 
and
(B) in the first sentence of section 205, by 
striking ‘‘, 202, or 203’’ and inserting ‘‘or 
202’’. 
(2) REFERENCES TO SECTION 4.—The Voting 
Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973 et seq.) is 
amended—
(A) 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)’’; 
(B) in paragraphs (1)(A) and (3) of sec-
tion 4(a), by striking ‘‘or (in the case of a State 
or subdivision seeking a declaratory judgment