HR 931 · 108th Congress 2003–2005, ended

National Language Act of 2003

Introduced Feb 26, 2003 Originated House Sponsor Peter T. King R-NY

Fact sheet

Latest action · Mar 17, 2003 Referred to the Subcommittee on Education Reform.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

  1. IntroducedFeb 26, 2003
  2. Passed HouseNot reached
  3. Passed SenateNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

National Language Act of 2003 - Makes English the official language of the U.S. Government. Requires the Government to: (1) conduct its official business in English, including publications, income tax forms, and informational materials; and (2) preserve and enhance the role of English as the official language of the United States of America. Provides that no person has a right, entitlement, or claim to have the Government act, communicate, perform, or provide services or materials in any other language, unless specifically stated in applicable law.

Provides that this Act shall not apply to the use of a language other than English for religious purposes, for training in foreign languages for international communication, in school programs designed to encourage students to learn foreign languages, or by persons over age 62.

Repeals the Bilingual Education Act. Terminates the Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs in the Department of Education.

Repeals provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 regarding bilingual election requirements and regarding congressional findings of voting discrimination against language minorities, prohibition of English-only elections, and other remedial measures.

Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to require that all public ceremonies in which the oath of allegiance is administered pursuant to such Act be conducted solely in English.

Specifies that this Act shall not preempt the law of any State.

Cosponsors 51

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Feb 26, 2003 to Mar 9, 2004, with 13 there on the day it was introduced.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
R-NCHoward CobleOriginalFeb 26, 2003
R-VAJ. Randy ForbesOriginalFeb 26, 2003
R-TNJohn J. Duncan, Jr.OriginalFeb 26, 2003
R-CAJohn T. DoolittleOriginalFeb 26, 2003
R-ILPhilip M. CraneOriginalFeb 26, 2003
R-NCRichard BurrOriginalFeb 26, 2003
R-LARichard H. BakerOriginalFeb 26, 2003
R-OHRobert W. NeyOriginalFeb 26, 2003
R-TXRon PaulOriginalFeb 26, 2003
R-IASteve KingOriginalFeb 26, 2003
R-ALTerry EverettOriginalFeb 26, 2003
D-VAVirgil H. Goode Jr.OriginalFeb 26, 2003
R-MOW. Todd AkinOriginalFeb 26, 2003
R-ILRay LaHoodMar 5, 2003
R-NCCharles H. TaylorMar 11, 2003
R-ILDonald A. ManzulloMar 11, 2003
R-INJohn N. HostettlerMar 11, 2003
R-MDRoscoe G. BartlettMar 11, 2003
R-NCSue Wilkins MyrickMar 11, 2003
R-OKErnest J. Istook Jr.Mar 12, 2003
R-KSJim RyunMar 12, 2003
R-COThomas G. TancredoMar 12, 2003
R-GACharles W. NorwoodMar 13, 2003
R-GAJohn LinderMar 13, 2003
D-GANathan DealMar 18, 2003
R-MSRoger F. WickerMar 18, 2003
R-PACurt WeldonMar 20, 2003
R-CADana RohrabacherMar 20, 2003
R-ALJo BonnerMar 20, 2003
R-SCJoe WilsonMar 20, 2003
R-MOJo Ann EmersonMar 26, 2003
R-VAEdward L. SchrockApr 29, 2003
R-VAJo Ann DavisApr 29, 2003
R-ARJohn BoozmanApr 29, 2003
R-PAJohn E. PetersonApr 29, 2003
R-TNZach WampApr 29, 2003
R-SCJ. Gresham BarrettMay 13, 2003
R-MSCharles W. "Chip" PickeringJun 16, 2003
R-NYSue W. KellyJun 19, 2003
R-FLCliff StearnsJul 10, 2003
R-CAWally HergerJul 14, 2003
R-CAKen CalvertJul 18, 2003
R-MNJim RamstadSep 3, 2003
R-OHSteven C. LaTouretteOct 8, 2003
R-AZJ. D. HayworthOct 15, 2003
R-TXJohn Abney CulbersonJan 27, 2004
D-MSGene TaylorFeb 24, 2004
R-NYJack QuinnFeb 24, 2004
R-NVJim GibbonsFeb 24, 2004
R-FLGinny Brown-WaiteMar 2, 2004
R-NJScott GarrettMar 9, 2004

Actions 4

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Mar 17, 2003Referred to the Subcommittee on Education Reform.
  2. Mar 6, 2003Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.
  3. Feb 26, 2003Introduced in House
  4. Feb 26, 2003Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Government Operations and Politics.

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov.