[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 6 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 6

Recognizing the cultural importance of the many languages spoken in the 
    United States and indicating the sense of the House (the Senate 
 concurring) that the United States should maintain the use of English 
                  as a language common to all peoples.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 4, 1995

 Mr. Emerson submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
  referred to the Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the cultural importance of the many languages spoken in the 
    United States and indicating the sense of the House (the Senate 
 concurring) that the United States should maintain the use of English 
                  as a language common to all peoples.

Whereas the United States is a Nation with a strong history of immigration, 
        comprised of individuals from varied cultural, ethnic, and linguistic 
        backgrounds, each of whom makes his or her unique contribution to the 
        brilliant mosaic of Americans;
Whereas net immigration accounted for one-quarter of the United States 
        population change during the 1980's, and the diversity of the Nation can 
        only be expected to continue to grow;
Whereas more than one hundred and fifty languages are spoken in the United 
        States today, making this Nation one of the most linguistically diverse 
        on this Earth;
Whereas language has a power not to be underestimated and it can unite or divide 
        peoples of differing backgrounds and heritages;
Whereas examples of cities, societies, and countries where people cannot 
        communicate in a common tongue abound: Serbs and Croats, Azerbanijanis 
        and Armenians, Xhosas and Zulus, Greek and Turkish Cypriots, and Belgian 
        Walloons and Flemings, to name a few, and the societal consequences are 
        the same, discord and disintegration;
Whereas a common language allows individuals to debate their differences, to 
        recognize their similarities, and to forge compromises among peoples of 
        different races and tongues; and
Whereas English is the common language in the United States today and it is the 
        language which is not identified with any single culture or ethnicity: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) recognizes and appreciates the benefits of cultural 
        diversity and the contributions that many languages have made 
        to the rich fabric of American society;
            (2) encourages citizens whose native language is other than 
        English to maintain fluency in their native language and to 
        pass their language and heritage down from generation to 
        generation;
            (3) encourages citizens whose native language is other than 
        English to learn English as well as retaining their individual 
        heritages; and
            (4) commends efforts to maintain one language common to all 
        people in addition to preserving and maintaining the many, many 
        languages and cultures which currently exist in the United 
        States.
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