Vance
File photo | The Lima News
WASHINGTON, D. C – U.S. Sen. JD Vance, an Ohio Republican, is introducing legislation that would establish English as the official language of the United States, taking up a cause that Republicans have repeatedly pursued without success in past Congresses.
The “English Language Unity Act” that Vance is introducing would require government functions to be conducted in English, and adjust requirements for naturalization by introducing a universal English language testing standard, his office said. Because Democrats control the U.S. Senate, Vance’s effort has little chance of passage.
A statement from Vance said the legislation he’s co-sponsoring with North Dakota GOP Sen. Kevin Cramer is supported by an “overwhelming majority of the American people.”
”This commonsense legislation recognizes an inherent truth: English is the language of this country,” Vance’s statement said. “The English language has been a cornerstone of American culture for over 250 years. It is far past time for Congress to codify its place into law, which is exactly what this bill does.”
According to the Congressional Research Service, at least 30 states have laws declaring English to be the official state language and there have been efforts since the mid-1980s – mostly sponsored by Republicans – to do it nationally.
Vance’s office noted that with few exceptions, the vast majority of nations legally recognize national language, including Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Brazil, and Denmark.
It said his proposed law would apply to all laws, public proceedings, regulations, publications, orders, actions, programs and policies, but not in other areas, like the teaching of languages, requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and communications relating to public health and safety.
People who speak a language other than English at home represent a relatively small but growing sector of the American population. The U.S. Census Bureau found that the share of people who spoke a language other than English at home has jumped from about 10% (about 23.1 million people) to about 20% (67.8 million people) between 1980 and 2019.
