Support for Official English Legislation Climbs to One-Third of U.S. House

H.R. 997 gets backing of 145th representative, awaits hearing in 2006

The effort to make English the official language of the United States government recently hit another milestone, as H.R. 997 collected the support of its 145th member of the House of Representatives. The English Language Unity Act, introduced by Rep. Steve King (R-IA) and now backed by 144 co-sponsors from 36 states, has continued to climb the list of legislation awaiting Congressional action in 2006.

“This milestone is a signal to the House leadership that H.R. 997 merits a hearing and a floor vote this year,” said Mauro E. Mujica, Chairman of U.S. English, Inc. “Official English represents one of the rare pieces of legislation that is widely supported by voters from all walks of life. I am confident that when this bill comes up for a vote, the results will reflect the overwhelming support of Congress and the people in favor of this common sense legislation.”

The degree of support places H.R. 997 among the most widely supported bills in the 109th Congress and among the most co-sponsored official English bills ever. Of the more than 4,400 House bills introduced this session, fewer than 60 have garnered the backing of more than one-third of the chamber. The 144 co-sponsors of H.R. 997 also represent the greatest degree of support for official English legislation since H.R. 123 collected 162 co-sponsors in the 105th 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 580 Members of Congress representing all 50 states have sponsored, co-sponsored or voted for official English measures a total of more than 2,650 times.

“Support for official English continues to climb because members of Congress are hearing the strong voices of their constituents,” Mujica continued. “No matter which issues are being debated on the floor, Congress must not forget about the broader issue of what it means to be an American. As legislative business resumes, I am hopeful that official English legislation will be a cornerstone of this important and necessary discussion.”

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.