H.R. 997 Picks Up Two New Co-Sponsors

Legislation now has support from more than one-quarter of U.S. House

Rep. John Campbell of California and Rep. Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania became the newest co-sponsors of H.R. 997 today, increasing the number of supporters of legislation to make English the official language to 108. With the addition of these two representatives and lead sponsor Rep. Steve King, H.R. 997 now has co-sponsorship from more than one-quarter of the House of Representatives.

Rep. Campbell is in his third term representing the 48th Congressional District of California. Since being elected to office in Dec. 2005, Rep. Campbell has been a strong supporter of official English and was a co-sponsor of H.R. 997 in the 109th and 110th Congress. Rep. Campbell follows in the footsteps of his predecessor, Christopher Cox, who worked to make English the official language of the United States during his 17 years in the House of Representatives. Last year, Rep. Campbell was honored for his support of making English the official language of the United States with an "A in English" Award from U.S. English, Inc.

Rep. Glenn Thompson is in his first term representing the Fifth Congressional District of Pennsylvania. The action by Rep. Thompson, who was elected in November to fill the seat of retiring Rep. John Peterson, fulfills a campaign pledge that he made to support official English legislation if elected to Congress. Thompson becomes the 62nd pledge signer to follow through on a campaign promise in support of official English.