[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 119 (Wednesday, September 4, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H9929]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    ENGLISH AS OUR OFFICIAL LANGUAGE

  (Mr. ROTH asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. ROTH. Mr. Speaker, on August 1 we in this House took a historic 
step by passing English as our official language by a vote of 259 to 
101. I thank all of my colleagues in the House of Representatives for 
joining me in getting this bill passed. Those of us who are committed 
to keeping this country as one Nation, one people--the ``United'' 
States of America realize that to do this we need one common language.
  Now to complete this task we must spur the Senate into action. That's 
why I'm asking the Members of this body to contact their Senators and 
request that they take up this bill, pass it, and send it on to the 
President for his signature.
  Then we will have completed a task we started years ago. It will 
demonstrate that while success does not always come with rushing speed, 
success does come with persistence.
  English must become our official language; but that will only happen 
if we make it happen.

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