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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | Contact: | Tim Schultz |
| Thursday, February 13, 1997 | ||
| 202/833-0100 | ||
| 800/787-8216 |
ENGLISH LANGUAGE BILL INTRODUCED IN U.S. SENATE
Senate legislation joins companion bill now moving through U.S. House
Washington, D.C. -The chairman of U.S.ENGLISH, Mauro E. Mujica, smiled broadly as he watched legislation aimed at designating English as the official language of government being introduced on the floor of the United States Senate.
The Senate bill (S.323) calls for all U.S. Government business and publications to be conducted in English. The legislation, spearheaded by U.S.ENGLISH, does not impact private businesses or seek to inhibit the use of foreign languages in other settings.
"We are beginning the next and perhaps most crucial phase of this movement," said Mujica. "Today's action in the Senate provides the first legitimate opportunity for these companion bills to be passed by the full Congress."
House Resolution 123 (H.R.123), introduced by California Representative Duke Cunningham and containing similar provisions, was adopted during the last session by a vote of 259-169. The same bill was re-introduced to the new U.S. House on January 7, 1997 and now has over 110 co-sponsors. Today's Senate legislation, sponsored by Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama also has the backing of Majority Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi.
Mauro E. Mujica, himself an immigrant, has chaired U.S.ENGLISH since 1993. During this period the organization has experienced tremendous growth with membership now over 1.3 million members. "Poll after poll indicates Americans overwhelmingly support making English our nation's official language," he said. "It is time our lawmakers in Washington listen to the voters and stop wasting millions of tax-payer dollars on multilingual documents. That money can be put to much better use by helping immigrants learn English."
U.S.ENGLISH has been the chief proponent behind the enactment of official English legislation on both the federal and state levels since the founding of the organization in 1983 by the late Senator S.I. Hayakawa. U.S.ENGLISH is the nation's oldest and largest citizens' action group working to make English the official government language at all levels. Currently 23 states have adopted legislation designating English as their common language.
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