S.2611
(engrossed as Agreed to or Passed by Senate)
Section 767.
English as
national language.
(a) In General- Title 4,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
`CHAPTER 6 -LANGUAGE OF THE GOVERNMENT
`Sections.
`161. Declaration of national language.
`162. Preserving and enhancing the role of the national
language.
`Sec. 161. Declaration of national language
`English is the national language of the United States.
`Sec. 162. Preserving and enhancing the role of the national
language
`The Government of the United
States shall preserve and enhance the role of English as the
national language of the United States of America. Unless
otherwise authorized or provided by 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. If any forms are issued by the Federal
Government in a language other than English (or such forms
are completed in a language other than English), the English
language version of the form is the sole authority for all
legal purposes.'.
(b) Conforming Amendment- The table of chapters for title 4,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
161'.
Section 769.
Declaration of English.
English is the common and unifying language of the United States that helps provide unity for the people of the United States.Section 770.
Preserving and enhancing the role of the english language.
The Government of the United States shall preserve and enhance the role of English as the common and unifying language of America. Nothing herein shall diminish or expand any existing rights under the law of the United States relative to services or materials provided by the Government of the United States in any language other than English.For the purposes of this section, law is defined as including provisions of the United States Code and the United States Constitution, controlling judicial decisions, regulations, and controlling Presidential Executive Orders.
(a) CONFORMING AMENDMENT- The table of chapters for title 4, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end Language of Government of the United States.
