American Legion Calls Upon Congress to Pass Official English Legislation

World’s Largest Veterans Organization Offers “Steadfast Support” of H.R. 997

WASHINGTON, D.C. - On the two year anniversary of the tragedy that brought all Americans together, the American Legion reaffirmed their steadfast support for another unifier – making English the official language of the United States. The world’s largest veterans organization is the latest to profess support for H.R. 997, the English Language Unity Act of 2003, legislation to make English the official language of the United States government.

Recognizing that fluency in English is necessary for full integration into the American mainstream, 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 health and safety, national security, international relations, trade, tourism and commerce.

"It is time for Congress to designate English as the official language of the United States,” announced Steve Robertson, Director of the National Legislative Commission for the American Legion. “Designating English as the official language of this country would not only help unify the many diverse cultures that coexist in this nation today, but would also help facilitate the learning of English by those in this country who join us from foreign lands."

The three million member American Legion joins a host of organizations putting support behind H.R. 997. The bill, which has collected 95 co-sponsors in Congress, has already been endorsed by The Knights of Lithuania, the National Grange, the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America, the American Farm Bureau, the National Slovak Society, the Dutch International Society and the Croatian Fraternal Union of America.

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.