[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 23, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E62-E63]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    ENGLISH AS OUR OFFICIAL LANGUAGE

                                 ______


                           HON. BILL EMERSON

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 23, 1996

  Mr. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in order to bring to the 
attention of this distinguished body an editorial which recently 
appeared in the Southeast Missourian, a daily newspaper located in my 
congressional district. The editorial, entitled ``Official Language for 
Missouri,'' praises the recent efforts in the Missouri legislature to 
establish a policy of conducting the State's business in English. The 
paper's discerning commentary notes that the supposed beneficiaries of 
multilingual government are not at all served by programs that operate 
in as many as 11 different languages across the State. In my view, 
Congress would be wise to listen to this kind of counsel, as well as to 
the enormous interest among folks on the State and local levels who 
understand the important role of English as our common language.
  Legislation which I have introduced, H.R. 123, the Language of 
Government Act, affords Congress the opportunity to eliminate the high 
social and economic costs of multilingual government, and I believe it 
time to respond to the public's broad support of this initiative. One 
hundred ninety-three Members of this Chamber have cosponsored H.R. 123, 
and momentum continues to build.
  I commend to your attention the full text of the editorial.

                     Official Language for Missouri

       The issue of making English the official language has 
     returned to the Missouri General Assembly this year. Bills 
     have been introduced in both houses to mandate the use of 
     English only in all state documents. Currently, some state 
     documents are printed in as many as 11 languages.
       The state effort mirrors attempts in Congress to make 
     English the official government language. Such laws in no way 
     intend to force anyone to speak or use English exclusively. 
     Millions of Americans with non-English-speaking backgrounds 
     wouldn't be impeded in their choices of how they communicate 
     privately. What the bills would do is limit government to 
     English rather than the potential 327 languages recognized in 
     the United States by the Census Bureau.
       Arguments that driver's license applicants, voters, welfare 
     recipients and others who benefit from government programs 
     are best served by catering to diverse languages don't hold 
     up. As has been the case throughout American history, 
     immigrants generally choose on their own to learn to speak 
     and write English. And polls indicate more than 85 percent of 
     Americans support the English-only concept for government.
       The push to adopt English as the official language of 
     Missouri government won't be easy. Residents who support this 
     idea could help advance the cause by contacting their 
     legislators and other elected officials.
     
[[Page E63]]


  RECOGNITION OF THE SHREWSBURY HIGH SCHOOL CONGRESSIONAL RESOLUTION 
                                PROJECT

                                 ______


                          HON. RICHARD E. NEAL

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 23, 1996

  Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this 
opportunity to pay tribute to a group of high school students from 
Shrewsbury, MA. Over the last several months this group has been 
engaged in the drafting and promotion of a congressional resolution 
calling for a greater dedication to AIDS education and prevention 
programs in America's schools.
  Led by their high school teacher Rick Marchand, these 23 students 
have been meeting 3 times a week for several months on this project. In 
that time, they have received commendations from both bodies of the 
Massachusetts State Legislature, the Massachusetts Commissioner of 
Education and also, AIDS Project Worcester, one of the leading AIDS 
support organizations in the State. Below, I have inserted a copy of 
the above cited resolution.
  It should be noted however, that this publication of their document 
is not the end of the student's ambitious undertaking. The involved 
students at Shrewsbury High School intend to continue promoting their 
resolution by circulating advocacy petitions among their peers and by 
posting this venture on the internet, in an effort to attract local, 
national and international support.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in commending this 
group for their laudable and industrious efforts on behalf of an 
interesting and worthwhile project:

                         Concurrent Resolution

       Expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to 
     encourage Congress to endorse all current funding mechanisms 
     that provide for AIDS research, support and prevention 
     programs. Said resolution shall inspire Congress to design or 
     support additional funding concepts that nurture innovative 
     education and prevention concepts for teenagers across 
     America.
       Whereas the teenagers of America feel that communities that 
     do not provide HIV/AIDS education for their teenagers are at 
     risk. The uninformed and uneducated part of America's youth 
     will result in an increase in the number of HIV infections 
     and the deaths of millions of innocent people. The World 
     Health Organization predicts that by the year 2000, the virus 
     will have attacked thirty to forty million people around the 
     world.
       Whereas according to estimates provided by The World Health 
     Organization, HIV/AIDS victims are costing an average of 
     $150,000 each. By the year 2000, six trillion dollars will be 
     needed to provide adequate health care for these individuals.
       Whereas teenagers across America believe effective 
     education can help others make smart choices. These choices 
     could mean the difference between life and death.
       Whereas HIV/AIDS education for high school students across 
     the country is inadequate. In some communities the lack of 
     education is caused by poor public perception, as well as 
     misconceptions about the HIV/AIDS virus.
       Whereas we the students of Shrewsbury High School in the 
     Commonwealth of Massachusetts, respectfully request the 
     Congress to form a partnership with communities across the 
     nation. This partnership will be to assure quality and 
     effective HIV/AIDS educational programs.

                          ____________________