Push for English as Official Language Continues at All Levels of Government

U.S. English, Inc. is the nation’s oldest and largest non-partisan citizens’ action group dedicated to preserving the unifying role of the English language in the United States. US English has released a press release talking about how legislators are trying to continue to identify methods “to encourage assimilation and English learning, measures to make English the official language have flourished at every level of government.”

Here’s more from their press release:

Just three weeks into the new year, elected officials at the town, county and state levels have introduced bills to uphold English as the common language of Americans and limit government multilingualism. A federal bill is expected to be introduced later this month.

To date, legislators in seven states have introduced legislation to make English the official language or strengthen existing official English laws. Measures are currently pending in Georgia, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas and Mississippi, with bills expected in additional states before the end of the month. On the local level, the push for official English that began in late 2006 has continued into the new year. Cabarrus County, N.C., and Culpeper, Va., recently entered the growing discussion of encouraging assimilation through a common language.

On Capitol Hill, federal legislation to make English the official language is expected to be introduced shortly. This legislation would build on the strong core of support garnered by H.R. 997, the English Language Unity Act, in the 109th Congress. By the close of the previous session, H.R. 997 had more than 160 bi-partisan co-sponsors, ranking it among the most widely supported bills over that two-year span. Congressman Steve King is expected to be joined by many additional supporters when the bill is introduced in the coming weeks.

U.S. English, Inc. is the nation’s oldest and largest non-partisan citizens’ action group dedicated to preserving the unifying role of the English language in the United States. Founded in 1983 by the late Sen. S.I. Hayakawa of California, U.S. English, Inc. now has more than 1.8 million members nationwide. U.S. English, Inc. can be found on the web at: http://www.usenglish.org/

Source: U.S. English, Inc.

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