U.S. English Chairman Commends House of Representatives on Passage of English Language Amendment

U.S.English Chairman Mauro E. Mujica today expressed his thanks to the United States House of Representatives for its 224

Washington, DC— U.S. English Chairman Mauro E. Mujica today expressed his thanks  to the United States House of Representatives for its 224 – 189 vote in favor of an amendment that would prohibit government funding of foreign language translation services.

“The House of Representative’s support for this amendment sends a strong and important message that learning English is the key to opportunity in America,” Chairman Mujica said. “All Americans, regardless of their background, will be better off upon learning the common, shared language of America.”

H.Amdt.1265, an amendment introduced by Rep. Steve King (R-IA), would prohibit the use of funds to enforce Executive Order 13166, an order signed by former President Bill Clinton which requires the federal government to provide translation and interpretation services to limited English proficient individuals.

“With more than 320 languages spoken in the United States, English is the one language that allows our diverse population to communicate with each other. By removing the requirement that the federal government provide services in any foreign language requested, the government sends a message that the United States is not an English-optional society. This will save the government money on costly translations, but more importantly, by encouraging non-English speakers to learn America’s common language, it will also open the door to better, higher paying jobs,” Mujica added.

On Thursday, June 7, 2012, the House of Representatives passed the amendment as part of a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security through fiscal year 2013. The full bill now awaits consideration in the Senate.

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