News & Media

Multilingual Services Accounting Legislation Introduced in Congress

Bill would require agencies to account for services in languages other than English

New legislation was introduced in Congress today that would require government agencies to account for all expenditures on multilingual services. Introduced by Rep. Virginia Foxx, H.R. 1414, the Multilingual Services Accounting Act, would end speculation about the cost of providing services in languages other than English by requiring government agencies to disclose these expenditures in their annual accountability reports. Following introduction with five original co-sponsors, the bill was referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

“American taxpayers deserve to know what the federal government is spending on multilingual services in any economic climate,” said Mauro E. Mujica, Chairman of U.S. English, Inc. “In these belt-tightening times, it is essential that we have an accurate picture of these costs, so that we may expose and root out wasteful spending. If Congress is serious about accountability, H.R. 1414 is needed legislation.”

Questions about the cost of government multilingual services have persisted for years, with some sources indicating that expenses are in the millions of dollars, while others claim they are “minimal.” Recently, legislators in several states have moved to pinpoint these outlays, including bill provisions that would require the accounting of multilingual services. In 2008, the Wisconsin House passed legislation which would have required state agencies to detail costs for written and oral translations in languages other than English.

“Government multilingualism can be a silent budget buster,” added Mujica. “While we all support translations for emergency circumstances and in areas like tourism, the offering of day-to-day services in languages other than English is an unnecessary expenditure opposed by the majority of Americans. H.R. 1414 will allow government to get a better grip on these funds and re-allocate them so they can benefit the American people.”

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.