119-hr1862

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1862 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 1862

 To declare English as the official language of the United States, to 
 establish a uniform English language rule for naturalization, and to 
avoid misconstructions of the English language texts of the laws of the 
United States, pursuant to Congress' powers to provide for the general 
 welfare of the United States and to establish a uniform rule of 
 naturalization under article I, 

section 8, of the Constitution.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 March 5, 2025

 Ms. Greene of Georgia (for herself, Mr. Brecheen, Mrs. Miller of 
Illinois, Mr. Collins, Mr. Gill of Texas, and Mr. Gosar) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
 Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and 
 Oversight and Government Reform, 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 declare English as the official language of the United States, to 
 establish a uniform English language rule for naturalization, and to 
avoid misconstructions of the English language texts of the laws of the 
United States, pursuant to Congress' powers to provide for the general 
 welfare of the United States and to establish a uniform rule of 
 naturalization under article I, 

section 8, of the Constitution.

 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 ``English Language Unity Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

 The Congress finds and declares the following:

    (1) The United States is composed of individuals from 
 diverse ethnic, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds who 
 assimilated into American traditions.

    (2) Throughout the history of the United States, one of the 
 common threads binding individuals of differing backgrounds has 
 been the English language.

    (3) States should establish the English language as the 
 official language of their respective States, and otherwise 
 promote the English language within their respective States, 
 subject to the prohibitions enumerated in the Constitution of 
 the United States and in laws of the respective States.

SEC. 3. ENGLISH AS OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF THE UNITED STATES.

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

 ``CHAPTER 6--OFFICIAL LANGUAGE

``

Sec. 161. Official language of the United States
 ``The official language of the United States is English.
``

Sec. 162. Preserving and enhancing the role of the official language
 ``Representatives of the Federal Government shall have an 
affirmative obligation to preserve and enhance the role of English as 
the official language of the Federal Government.
``

Sec. 163. Official functions of Government to be conducted in English
 ``

    (a) Official Functions.--The official functions of the Government 
of the United States shall be conducted in English.
 ``

    (b) Scope.--For the purposes of this section, the term `United 
States' means the several States and the District of Columbia, and the 
term `official' refers to any function that
            (i) binds the Government,
            (ii) is required by law, or
            (iii) is otherwise subject to scrutiny by 
either the press or the public.
 ``
            (c) Practical Effect.--This section shall apply to all laws, 
public proceedings, regulations, publications, orders, actions, 
programs, and policies, but does not apply to--
 ``

    (1) teaching of languages;
 ``

    (2) requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities 
 Education Act;
 ``

    (3) actions, documents, or policies necessary for 
 national security, international relations, trade, tourism, or 
 commerce;
 ``

    (4) actions or documents that protect the public health 
 and safety;
 ``

    (5) actions or documents that facilitate the activities 
 of the Bureau of the Census in compiling any census of 
 population;
 ``

    (6) actions that protect the rights of victims of crimes 
 or criminal defendants; or
 ``

    (7) using terms of art or phrases from languages other 
 than English.
``

Sec. 164. Uniform English language rule for naturalization
 ``

    (a) Uniform Language Testing Standard.--All those applying for 
naturalization should be able to read and understand generally the 
English language text of the Declaration of Independence, the 
Constitution, and the laws of the United States made in pursuance of 
the Constitution.
 ``

    (b) Ceremonies.--All naturalization ceremonies shall be conducted 
in English.
``

Sec. 165. Rules of construction
 ``Nothing in this chapter shall be construed--
 ``

    (1) to prohibit a Member of Congress or any officer or 
 agent of the Federal Government, while performing official 
 functions, from communicating unofficially through any medium 
 with another person in a language other than English (as long 
 as official functions are performed in English);
 ``

    (2) to limit the preservation or use of Native Alaskan or 
 Native American languages (as defined in the Native American 
 Languages Act);
 ``

    (3) to disparage any language or to discourage any person 
 from learning or using a language; or
 ``

    (4) to be inconsistent with the Constitution of the 
 United States.''.

    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of chapters at the beginning of 
title 4, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to chapter 5 the following new item:

 ``Chapter 6. Official Language''.

SEC. 4. GENERAL RULES OF CONSTRUCTION FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEXTS OF THE 
 LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 1 of title 1, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``

Sec. 9. General rules of construction for laws of the United States
 ``

    (a) English language requirements and workplace policies, whether 
in the public or private sector, shall be presumptively consistent with 
the laws of the United States.
 ``

    (b) Any ambiguity in the English language text of the laws of the 
United States shall be resolved, in accordance with the last two 
articles of the Bill of Rights, not to deny or disparage rights 
retained by the people, and to reserve powers to the States 
respectively, or to the people.''.

    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 1 of title 1 is amended by inserting after the item relating to 

section 8 the following new item:

``9. General rules of construction for laws of the United States.''.

SEC. 5. IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS.

 The Secretary of Homeland Security shall, within 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, issue for public notice and comment a 
proposed rule for uniform testing of English language ability of 
candidates for naturalization, based upon the principles that all 
citizens should be able to read and understand generally the English 
language text of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and 
the laws of the United States which are made in pursuance thereof.

SEC. 6. NATIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAY.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 1 of title 36, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``

Sec. 149. National English Language Day
 ``

    (a) Proclamation.--The President shall issue a proclamation 
recognizing the integral nature of the English language in the American 
nation.''.

    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for such chapter is 
amended by adding at the end the following:

``149. National English Language Day.''.

SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE.

 The amendments made by sections 3, 4, and 6 shall take effect on 
the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
 <all>