[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 931 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 931

    To amend title 4, United States Code, to declare English as the 
official language of the Government of the United States, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 26, 2003

Mr. King of New York (for himself, Mr. Paul, Mr. Goode, Mr. Crane, Mr. 
  Duncan, Mr. Forbes, Mr. Akin, Mr. Everett, Mr. Coble, Mr. Burr, Mr. 
  Baker, Mr. Ney, Mr. King of Iowa, and Mr. Doolittle) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend title 4, United States Code, to declare English as the 
official language of the Government of the United States, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Language Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. ENGLISH AS OFFICIAL LANGUAGE.

    (a) In General.--Title 4, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new chapter:

                ``CHAPTER 6--LANGUAGE OF THE GOVERNMENT

``Sec.
``161. Declaration of official language.
``162. Official Government activities in English.
``163. Preserving and enhancing the role of the official language.
``164. Exceptions.
``Sec. 161. Declaration of official language
    ``English shall be the official language of the Government of the 
United States.
``Sec. 162. Official Government activities in English
    ``The Government of the United States shall conduct its official 
business in English, including publications, income tax forms, and 
informational materials.
``Sec. 163. Preserving and enhancing the role of the official language
    ``The Government of the United States shall preserve and enhance 
the role of English as the official language of the United States of 
America. Unless specifically stated in applicable law, no person has a 
right, entitlement, or claim to have the Government of the United 
States or any of its officials or representatives act, communicate, 
perform or provide services, or provide materials in any language other 
than English. If exceptions are made, that does not create a legal 
entitlement to additional services in that language or any language 
other than English.
``Sec. 164. Exceptions
    ``This chapter does not apply to the use of a language other than 
English--
            ``(1) for religious purposes;
            ``(2) for training in foreign languages for international 
        communication;
            ``(3) to programs in schools designed to encourage students 
        to learn foreign languages; or
            ``(4) by persons over 62 years of age.
    ``This chapter does not prevent the Government of the United States 
from providing interpreters for persons over 62 years of age.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of chapters for title 4, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
item:

``6. Language of the Government.............................     161''.

 SEC. 3. TERMINATION OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

    (a) Repeal of Bilingual Education Act.--The Bilingual Education Act 
(20 U.S.C. 3281 et seq.) is repealed.
    (b) Termination of Office of Bilingual Education and Minority 
Languages Affairs.--The Office of Bilingual Education and Minority 
Languages Affairs in the Department of Education, established by part D 
of the Bilingual Education Act (20 U.S.C. 3331 et seq.), is terminated.
    (c) Recapture of Unexpended Funds.--Any funds that have been 
provided as grants under the Bilingual Education Act (20 U.S.C. 3281 et 
seq.), and that have not been expended before the date of the enactment 
of this Act, shall be recaptured by the Secretary of Education and 
deposited in the general fund of the Treasury.
    (d) Transitional Provisions.--
            (1) Completion of programs during current school year.--
        Subsections (a) and (c) shall not apply to any program under 
        part A of the Bilingual Education Act (20 U.S.C. 3291 et seq.) 
        until completion of the most recent school year of the program 
        that commences after the date of the enactment of this Act.
            (2) Assistance for transition to special alternative 
        instructional programs.--During the 1-year period beginning on 
        the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
        Education may assist local educational agencies in the 
        transition of children enrolled in programs assisted under the 
        Bilingual Education Act (20 U.S.C. 3281 et seq.) to Special 
        Alternative Instructional Programs that do not make use of the 
        native language of the student.

 SEC. 4. REPEAL OF BILINGUAL VOTING REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Bilingual election requirements.-- Section 203 of the 
        Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973aa-1a) is repealed.
            (2) Voting rights.--Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act of 
        1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973b) is amended by striking subsection (f).
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) References to section 203.--The Voting Rights Act of 
        1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973 et seq.) is amended--
                    (A) in section 204, by striking ``or 203,''; and
                    (B) in the first sentence of section 205, by 
                striking ``, 202, or 203'' and inserting ``or 202''.
            (2) References to section 4.--The Voting Rights Act of 1965 
        (42 U.S.C. 1973 et seq.) is amended--
                    (A) in sections 2(a), 3(a), 3(b), 3(c), 4(d), 5, 6, 
                and 13, by striking ``, or in contravention of the 
                guarantees set forth in section 4(f)(2)'';
                    (B) in paragraphs (1)(A) and (3) of section 4(a), 
                by striking ``or (in the case of a State or subdivision 
                seeking a declaratory judgment under the second 
                sentence of this subsection) in contravention of the 
                guarantees of subsection (f)(2)''; and
                    (C) in paragraphs (1)(B) and (5) of section 4(a), 
                by striking ``or (in the case of a State or subdivision 
                which sought a declaratory judgment under the second 
                sentence of this subsection) that denials or 
                abridgments of the right to vote in contravention of 
                the guarantees of subsection (f)(2) have occurred 
                anywhere in the territory of such State or 
                subdivision''.

 SEC. 5. ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT FOR CEREMONIES FOR ADMISSION OF 
              NEW CITIZENS.

    Section 337(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1448(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: 
``All public ceremonies in which the oath of allegiance is administered 
pursuant to this section shall be conducted solely in the English 
language.''.

 SEC. 6. NONPREEMPTION.

    This Act (and the amendments made by this Act) shall not preempt 
any law of any State.
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