News & Media

Colorado Legislative Committee Urges Passage of Official English

“We salute Rep. Welker’s efforts to emphasize the importance of one common language,” said U.S. English, Inc. Chairman Mauro E. Mujica. “Colorado, like our entire nation, has long been a melting pot for immigrants from all across the globe. Rep. Welker’s resolution recognizes that by speaking English, these diverse people have come together to establish strong, united communities.”

The English Language Unity Act of 2003 would require the United States government to conduct official business in English. Specifically, H.R. 997 would make it so that "all laws, public proceedings, regulations, publications, orders, actions, programs and policies" are conducted in the English language. Numerous common sense exceptions are included in the legislation to protect the well-being of all Americans, including public safety, national security, and commerce. According to a Jan. 2004 poll by Zogby International, 82 percent of Americans support making English the official language of the United States.

“As an immigrant myself, I understand the importance of learning English in order to become an American,” explained Mujica, who came to the United States from Chile. “Becoming proficient in the language of the United States ensures that an immigrant will be able to take advantage of every opportunity offered in our nation. Recognizing that English fluency is key to integration into American society is the first step in producing the next great generation of Americans.”

To date, H.R. 997 has collected 104 co-sponsors, making it one of the most widely supported bills in the 108th Congress. The list of supporters includes two of the seven members of the Colorado delegation – Reps. Marilyn Musgrave and Tom Tancredo. This legislation is still pending in House Committee.

Rep. Welker’s bill will next be considered on the floor of the Colorado House of Representatives. The text of the resolution follows below.

WHEREAS, English is currently the national language of the United States only by custom, not by law; and

WHEREAS, The United States is comprised of individuals from many ethnic, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds and continues to benefit from this rich diversity; and

WHEREAS, These individuals, although keeping their ethnic background alive, are urged to take advantage of the educational system that teaches them the English language and American history; and

WHEREAS, Throughout the history of the United States, the common thread binding individuals of differing backgrounds has been the English language; and

WHEREAS, The people of the state of Colorado voted to adopt English as the official language of the state in 1988; and

WHEREAS, Command of the English language is necessary to participate in and take full advantage of the opportunities afforded by American life; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Sixty-fourth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the Senate concurring herein:

That we, the members of the General Assembly, urge the United States Congress to pass the "English Language Unity Act of 2003" (H.R. 997), which would establish English as the official language of the United States.

Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the President of the United States Senate, the Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, and the members of Colorado's congressional delegation.

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.