Vance Introduces Bill to Make English Official Language of the US

Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) has introduced a bill on March 30 that advocates for English to be declared the official language of the United States. The bill, co-sponsored by Senator Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), mandates that all government correspondence be printed in English and adjusts the guidelines for naturalization. The proposal places a universal English language-testing standard and requires that all naturalization ceremonies be conducted in English.

A Rasmussen poll taken in May 2022 shows that 78 percent of American adults believe that English should be the official language of the country. Currently, English is already the official language in 31 states and all US territories.

Vance said, “This commonsense legislation recognizes an inherent truth: English is the language of this country. That is why the overwhelming majority of the American people support this proposal.”

The proposal has roots in previous legislation. On March 24, Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) introduced the English Language Unity Act of 2023, which also advocates for declaring English as the official language of the US. If passed, it would mandate all functions and proceedings of the US government to be conducted in English and incorporate “uniform testing of English language ability” during the naturalization process for legal immigrants. The bill’s language also stipulates government officials’ obligation to “preserve and enhance” the status of English as the official language and promote opportunities for individuals to learn it.

Though efforts to establish English as the official national language have met with resistance, Vance’s proposal seeks to enshrine the place of the English language into law, which he believes should have been done a long time ago.