Lawmaker Revives Push to Make English Official US Language

With the passage of the English Language Unity Act of 2023 on March 24, Rep. Bob Good( R-Va. ) resurrected a decades-old campaign to make English the national language.

If approved, the bill ( pdf ) would” declare English as the official language of the United States ,” mandate that all government operations be carried out in English, and include” uniform testing of English language ability” when naturalizing new citizens.

Additionally, government representatives would be required to” keep and improve” the level of English as the official language, including fostering opportunities for people to learn it.

Our typical English words promotes unity and fosters social inclusion in the melting pot that is the United States of America, according to Good, a member of the House Freedom Caucus.

Salad Bowl or Melting Pot?

At the national level, the United States has always recognized an official language, but 32 states have done so. Aboriginal languages are also recognized in Hawaii, Alaska, and South Dakota.

However, despite numerous attempts to make English the official national words over the years, these projects have always been met with vehement opposition from those who think they are at best pointless and at at worst.

According to an executive order( pdf ) signed by former President Bill Clinton in August 2000, federal agencies are required by current law to grant” meaningful access” to government services to those with” limited English proficiency.” As a result, the critics appear to be winning the argument so far.

Through proposed legislation like the Mental Health Workforce and Language Access Act, introduced by Rep. Grace Meng( D-N ), there has also been a push in recent years to strengthen the government’s role in ensuring access to multilingual services. Y. ) In order to recruit and train mental health professionals proficient in languages other than English, community health centers sought to receive governmental grants in 2021.

Progressive organizations like Just Communities, a California-based nonprofit that seeks to” educate and equip Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and white people with the tools necessary to take action and advocate for racial justice ,” have also started to support the idea of” language justice.”

The words justice movement was founded in direct opposition to the promotion of cultural assimilation, which is another element of the multiculturalist perspective that America is more of a” salad bowl” where cultures can balance while still being unique.

According to the organization,” valuing language justice entails acknowledging the social and political ramifications of words and words entry” while attempting to tear down language barriers, balance power dynamics, and create robust communities for racial and social justice.”

The company Move to End Violence, which fights gender-based crime, adds,” Language justice calls us to break up colonization, to challenge European dominance, and to break down the ways injustice silences and erases us.” It beckons us to design environments where everyone is encouraged to speak in the language and tones that best suit their needs, and where we encourage the meaningful participation of individuals whose personalities, experiences, wisdoms, or languages go beyond Standard American English.

However, Good’s bill also notes that, throughout U.S. history, the English language has been the” common thread binding individuals of differing backgrounds ,” even though it acknowledges the advantages of the United States'” rich diversity.”

It is also in the best interest of our legal immigrants, the congresswoman continued, adding that the solution would also save federal funds because their ability to speak English helps them integrate into our culture, triumph at work, and realize their full potential.

Good’s activities were praised on Friday by ProEnglish, a group that advocates for making English the recognized national language.

We recognize the Congressman’s dedication to reducing unnecessary public spending while also wanting to promote the integration of all of our members into our wonderful nation. We consider it to be sound government at its best to promote English as the language of log for all public business.