[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 67 (Friday, May 22, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5457-S5459]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 236--TO EXPRESS THE SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING 
                      ENGLISH PLUS OTHER LANGUAGES

  Mr. DOMENICI (for himself, Mr. McCain, Mr. Hatch, Mr. DeWine, Mr. 
Chafee, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Abraham and Mrs. 
Hutchison) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Labor and Human Resources:

                              S. Res. 236

       Whereas English is the most widely used language in the 
     areas of finance, trade, technology, diplomacy, and 
     entertainment, and is the living library of the last 100 
     years of scientific and technological advance;
       Whereas there are more speakers of English as a second 
     language in the world than there are native English speakers, 
     and the large number of English language schools around the 
     world demonstrates that English is as close as any language 
     has been to becoming the world's common language;
       Whereas English is the common language of the United 
     States, is important to American life and individual success, 
     and 94 percent of United States residents speak English 
     according to the 1990 decennial census;
       Whereas immigrants to the United States have powerful 
     incentives to learn English in order to fully participate in 
     American society and the Nation's economy, and 90 percent of 
     all immigrant families become fluent in English within the 
     second generation;
       Whereas a common language promotes unity among citizens, 
     and fosters greater communication;
       Whereas there is a renaissance in cultural assertiveness 
     around the world, noting that the more interdependent nations 
     become economically, the more interested the nations are in 
     preserving and sharing cultural identity;
       Whereas the reality of a global economy is an ever-present 
     international development that is fostered by international 
     trade and

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     the creation of regional trading blocs, such as the European 
     Union, Mercosur, the North American Free Trade Agreement and 
     the Association of Southeast Asian Nations;
       Whereas knowledge of English, Spanish, French, Italian, 
     German, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, African 
     languages, Farsi, sign language, and the many other languages 
     of the world, enhances competitiveness and tremendous growth 
     in world trade;
       Whereas the United States is well postured for the global 
     economy and international development with the United States' 
     diverse population and rich heritage of languages from all 
     around the world;
       Whereas many American Indian languages are indigenous to 
     the United States, and should be preserved, encouraged, and 
     utilized, as the languages were used during World War II when 
     the Navajo Code Talkers created a code that could not be 
     broken by the Japanese or the Germans;
       Whereas Spanish exploration in the New World began in 1512 
     when Ponce de Leon explored the Florida peninsula, and 
     included the expeditions of Francisco Coronado throughout 
     California to Kansas and across Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, 
     and Oklahoma from 1540 to 1542;
       Whereas the Nation will commemorate the 400th anniversary 
     of the first Spanish Settlement of the Southwest (Ohkay Yunge 
     at San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico) with official visits from 
     Spain, parades, fiestas, masses, and other celebrations to 
     emphasize the importance of the first encounters with 
     American Indian cultures and the subsequent importance of 
     encounters with other European cultures;
       Whereas Hispanic culture, customs, and the Spanish language 
     are a vital source of familial and individual strength;
       Whereas the Bureau of the Census estimates that 1 in 5 
     Americans will be of Hispanic descent by the year 2030, and 
     the future cultural, political, and economic strengths of 
     this country are clearly dependent upon our Nation's ability 
     to harness the talents and skills of this large and growing 
     segment of the American population;
       Whereas it is clearly in the interest of the United States 
     to encourage educational opportunity for and the human 
     potential of all citizens, and to take steps to realize the 
     opportunity and potential;
       Whereas a skilled labor force is crucial to the 
     competitiveness of the Nation in today's global economy, 
     foreign language skills are a tremendous resource to the 
     United States, and such foreign language skill enhances 
     American competitiveness in global markets by permitting 
     improved communication and understanding;
       Whereas one of the common bonds of Hispanic people is the 
     Spanish language, and promoting the use of Spanish at home 
     and in cultural affairs will benefit not only the growing 
     Hispanic population of the United States but also the 
     economic interests of the entire Nation; and
       Whereas knowledge of other languages and other cultures is 
     known to enhance the United States diplomatic efforts by 
     fostering greater communication and understanding between 
     nations, and can promote greater understanding between 
     different ethnic and racial groups within the United States: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the United States Government should pursue 
     policies that--
       (1) support and encourage Americans to master the English 
     language plus other languages of the world;
       (2) recognize the importance of English as the unifying 
     language of the United States, and the importance of English 
     fluency for individuals who want to succeed in American 
     society;
       (3) recognize that command of the English language is a 
     critical component of the success and productivity of our 
     Nation's children, and should be encouraged at every age;
       (4) recognize that a skilled labor force is crucial to 
     United States competitiveness in a global economy, and the 
     ability to speak 1 or more languages in addition to English 
     is a significant skill;
       (5) recognize that knowledge of Spanish, in particular, is 
     vital for building future cultural and economic bridges to 
     Latin America;
       (6) support literacy programs, including programs designed 
     to teach English, as well as those dedicated to helping 
     Americans learn and maintain other languages in addition to 
     English; and
       (7) develop our Nation's linguistic resources by 
     encouraging citizens of the United States to learn and 
     maintain Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, 
     Korean, Vietnamese, Farsi, African languages, sign language, 
     and the many other languages of the world, in addition to 
     English.

  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, today I am proud to be joined by 
Senators McCain, Hatch, DeWine, Chafee, Lugar, Hagel, Grassley, and 
Abraham in submitting a Senate Resolution entitled ``English-Plus.'' By 
this, we simply mean to reaffirm the importance of mastering the 
English language plus other languages of the world, such as Spanish, 
Italian, German, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and many, many more.
  As English becomes the world language of finance, trade, technology, 
diplomacy, and entertainment, the reality of international markets and 
international learning require a greater sensitivity to local 
languages. In our hemisphere, Spanish is clearly a dominant language.
  In my home state of New Mexico, 37 percent of the people are Spanish-
Americans or Mexican-Americans. These days, the term ``Hispanic 
Americans'' is used to include Americans whose roots are in Spain, 
Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central America, and South America. As U.S. 
News reported in the May 11, 1998, issue, ``the label Hispanic obscures 
the enormous diversity among people who come (or whose forebears came) 
from two dozen countries and whose ancestry ranges from pure Spanish to 
mixtures of Spanish blood with Native American, African, German, and 
Italian, to name a few hybrids.''
  U.S. News also reported in the same issue that ``The number of 
Hispanics is increasing almost four times as fast as the rest of the 
population, and they are expected to surpass African-Americans as the 
largest minority group by 2005.'' In the October 21, 1996, issue, U.S. 
News reported that ``Nearly 28 million people--1 American in 10--
consider themselves of Hispanic origin.'' This 1996 estimate was based 
on 1994 Census data. Current estimates are that there are 29 million 
Hispanics in America, or 1 in 9 Americans. By 2050 projections are that 
1 in every 4 Americans will be Hispanic.
  As our world economy barges into the next century, it has become 
clear the ``domestic-only market planning'' has been replaced by the 
era of international trade agreements and the creation of regional 
trading blocs. In 1996, the total volume of trade with Mexico was 
estimated at $130 billion. Our trade with the rest of Latin America 
that same year was $101 billion.
  Spanish is clearly a growing cultural and economic force in our 
hemisphere. It is also the common language of hundreds of millions of 
people. New Mexico is the only state that requires the use of both 
English and Spanish on every election ballot.
  As the son of an Italian immigrant, I can personally testify to the 
importance of English Plus. My father did not read or write in English, 
yet he insisted that I learn English and do my best at some Italian. My 
parents both spoke Spanish--a skill which they found very useful in 
establishing a wholesale grocery business in Albuquerque.
  Tens of thousands of New Mexico families still speak Spanish at home. 
Spanish remains a strong tie to their culture, music, history, and 
folklore. After decades of being taught to learn English first, most 
New Mexico Hispanic families also know English very well.
  It is ironic that recent economic trends of this decade show Latin 
America as the most promising future market for American goods and 
services. An article in The Economist of April 21, 1998, stresses the 
value of the Spanish language to America's fastest growing minority 
group.
  ``America's Latinos are rapidly becoming one of its most useful 
resources.'' The Economist, however, also goes on to note that, ``The 
Spanish language, which is their glory, also consigns too many of them 
to jobs not far removed from indentured slavery.''
  ``Although they often meet discrimination, they have little taste for 
the politics of quotas or compensation. And although they have always 
supported `affirmative action' programmes, they now loathe bilingual 
education, the programme most specifically devised to give them a leg-
up into American life.''
  ``Even poor Latinos retain a sturdy distrust of government preferring 
to rely on their families. Relatively few Latinos are on welfare; most 
believe that a man ought to help himself first by his own efforts.''
  It is no longer accurate to say that we are perched to enter a global 
economy--rather, we are well into it. With Latin America as the next 
great market partner of the United States, those Americans who know 
both English and Spanish will have many new grand opportunities. 
Mexico's recent hiring and celebration of its one-millionth maquiladora 
worker in international manufacturing plants mostly along our border, 
the value of knowing two languages to function with the hundreds

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of Fortune 500 companies now manufacturing in Mexico is unquestioned.
  Mr. President, I have long believed that New Mexico and other border 
states are uniquely poised to create the focal point of North American 
trade with South America. I agree with The Economist observation that 
``America's Latinos are rapidly becoming one of its most useful 
resources.'' I predict that English Plus Spanish will be one of the 
major marketable skills for the next century.
  In conclusion, I would like my colleagues to see the shallowness of 
thought behind the idea that ``English Only'' should be the wave of the 
future. If we want to miss our best potential markets in Mexico, 
Central America, and South America, then ``English Only'' should be our 
intent. If we want to become a more powerful cultural and economic 
American force in the world--including both North and South America 
into the meaning of ``America''--then we should adopt ``English Plus'' 
as approach.
  As stated in our resolution, ``English Plus'' includes many if not 
all of the languages of the world. No one disputes the importance of 
English as the leading language of science, technology, the internet, 
finance, and diplomacy. By acknowledging our heightened abilities 
through the addition of other languages to our national strengths, the 
United States will benefit greatly by expanding its cultural life and 
economic potential through the application of the notion of ``English 
Plus'' other languages of the world.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I rise today with my several of my 
colleagues from the Hispanic Task Force to submit a Resolution on 
English-Plus. This resolution is intended to express the importance of 
the English language in our society, PLUS the importance of knowing, 
understanding and speaking other languages in addition to English.
  As a member of the Hispanic Task Force, I have been working closely 
with my colleagues, Senators Domenici and Hatch, in developing this 
resolution. Many of our colleagues may be curious to know what we mean 
when we say ``English Plus.'' ``English-Plus'' reflects our firm belief 
that all members of our society need to recognized and understand the 
importance of being fluent in English, Plus one or more additional 
languages.
  Everyone agrees that all Americans must be fluent in English in order 
to succeed in today's society. Not only is English the common language 
of our nation, it is also the most popular and widely used language 
internationally in the areas of finance, trade, technology, diplomacy 
and entertainment. This is why it is critical that we continue 
encouraging all members of our society to be fluent in the English 
language.
  However, I believe it is equally important for each of us to 
encourage all members of our society to study and develop an 
understanding of, if not a fluency, in one or more languages in 
addition to English. Individuals who have the capability to communicate 
in multiple languages have access to a wealth of opportunities 
economically, socially, professionally and personally.
  Encouraging our citizens to be bilingual or multilingual serves as a 
tremendous resource to the United States, because it enhances our 
competitiveness in global markets by enabling communication and cross-
cultural understanding while trading and conducting international 
business. In addition, multilingualism enhances our nation's diplomatic 
efforts and leadership role on the international front by fostering 
greater communication and understanding between nations and their 
people.
  Foreign language skills also serve as a powerful tool for promoting 
greater cross-cultural understanding between the multitude of racial 
and ethnic groups in our country. One in five Americans will be of 
Hispanic descent by the year 2030. According to the 1990 Census, 
Spanish is the second most widely used language in the world. It is my 
firm belief that developing a greater knowledge of the Spanish language 
will benefit the economic and cultural interests of our entire country. 
Being proficient or fluent in languages besides English, combined with 
an understanding of various cultures, will significantly enhance 
communication and understanding between the various racial and ethnic 
groups in our country.
  This resolution highlights the importance of implementing policies in 
our country which support and encourage all Americans to master 
English, plus one or more other languages of the world. It is critical 
that we continue supporting policies and programs which stress the 
importance of English but we should also encourage all Americans to 
study, learn and familiarize themselves with the languages of many 
other cultures.
  I urge the Senate to adopt this resolution, which sends a clear 
message to our citizens and the people of the world that Americans are 
committed to encouraging proficiency in English as well as other 
international languages.

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