U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member: Agriculture, Energy, Veterans' Affairs, Ethics and Aging Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

May 18, 2006

CONTACT:    Cody Wertz – Comm. Director

                        303-455-7600

Andrew Nannis  – Press Secretary

                        202-224-5852


 Sen. Salazar Pushes English as “Common and Unifying Language”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – During continued Senate debate today on comprehensive immigration reform, United States Senator Ken Salazar offered an amendment to declare English as the “common and unifying language of the United States.” Senator Salazar’s amendment passed 58-39.

Senator Salazar’s amendment was offered as an alternative to Senator Inhofe’s (R-OK) amendment which would make English the “National language” and would prohibit any communication in any language other than English by federal agencies or officials unless specifically permitted by law.

The text of Senator Salazar’s amendment states:

· English is the common and unifying language of the United States that helps provide unity for the people of the United States.

· 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.

“English is the language of opportunity in the Nation,” Salazar said. “As we focus on comprehensive immigration reform we should remember that America really is an America that becomes richer and stronger because of the kind of diversity that we have. We have learned through the hard times of history that America is stronger when it stands together; when we find those issues that unite us as opposed to the issues that divide us.

“My amendment affirms English as the common and unifying language of the United States without the risk of encroaching on the established rights of all Americans.”

According to the U.S. Census, 92 percent of Americans speak English, and the vast majority of Americans speak only English at home.

The GAO reports that the overwhelming majority of U.S. Government documents are printed in English only. Just one percent of U.S. Government documents are published in a language other than English.

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