Michigan House of Representatives Passes Official English By Wide Margin

Bi-partisan 73-32 vote sends measure to Senate for consideration

The Michigan House of Representatives moved the Great Lakes State one step closer to uniting under our common language of English by passing H.B. 5633 by a vote of 73-32. The measure, introduced by Representative Jack Hoogendyk and passed out of committee last week, calls for the state to conduct official business in English. If H.B. 5633 is passed by the Senate and signed into law, Michigan would become the 28th state to make English its official language.

“This is a great day for the diverse people of the state of Michigan,” said Mauro E. Mujica, Chairman of U.S. English, Inc. “In a state whose residents speak 125 languages, multilingual government should be the exception, not the rule. The passage of H.B. 5633 demonstrates that Michigan will focus on the common bond that has united us for more than 200 years – the English language.”

According to a poll of 600 residents conducted by MRG Research, 83 percent of Michigan adults support making English the official language of the state. Conducted in March 2006, the poll found high rates of support across all areas of the state as well as across political and ethnic lines.

“An accent on English is what our national leaders want, what our citizens want and what our immigrants want,” continued Mujica. “The people of Michigan should be proud of the responsive legislators who supported this bill. We all look forward to the Senate considering this legislation in the same swift and sensible manner.”

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.