News & Media
English Language Unity Act co-sponsor list climbs past 125 members
H.R. 997 ranks among top 50 most widely supported bills in 109th Congress
July 19, 2005
A flurry of co-sponsors in recent weeks has lifted H.R. 997, the English Language Unity Act of 2005 into the upper echelon of Congressional legislation. With 128 co-sponsors from 35 states, H.R. 997 has built a lengthy list of bipartisan supporters matched by few other measures. Introduced by Rep. Steve King (R-IA), the legislation would make English the official language of the United States.“More than 125 members of Congress and 75 percent of the population want official English legislation to get its opportunity in front of Congress,” said Mauro E. Mujica, Chairman of U.S. English, Inc. “I join with this enthusiastic majority in calling for a hearing on this important measure.” Passing the 125 co-sponsor mark is rarified air for a legislative proposal. While only 82, or 2.5 percent, of the more than 3,300 bills introduced this session have collected 100 co-sponsors, just 48, or 1.5 percent, of these have surged past 125 supporters. With only six months elapsed in the 109th Congress, H.R. 997 has already collected more co-sponsors than the English Language Unity Act of 2003 (also H.R. 997) in the entire 108th Congress. The bill is currently pending in the House Committee on the Judiciary as well as the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Official English measures have long been popular with the public and those elected to serve in Congress. For nearly a generation, polls have found support for making English the official language among four-fifths of the population, including a 2005 Zogby poll which pegged the rate at 79 percent. Since 1981, more than 550 Members of Congress representing all 50 states have sponsored, co-sponsored or voted for official English measures a total of more than 2,500 times. “It is through the backing of a common language that we will expand employment and educational opportunity, and continue successful immigrant integration,” continued Mujica. “Without a unifying language, we can never be truly one nation. I urge the House leadership to bring H.R. 997 up for a committee hearing without further delay.” Contact - Rob Toonkel (rtoonkel@usenglish.org or 202-833-0100)
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. (www.usenglish.org) now has more than 1.8 million members.
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