English Language Unity Act of 2003
Latest action · May 5, 2003 Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.
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.
- IntroducedFeb 27, 2003
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Gives representatives of the Federal Government an affirmative obligation to preserve and enhance the role of English as the official language of the Federal Government, including encouraging greater opportunities for individuals to learn the English language.
Requires the official functions of the United States (meaning, in this case, the States and the District of Columbia) to be conducted in English. Sets forth exceptions to and rules of construction for such requirements.
Requires a uniform English language rule for U.S. naturalization, and all naturalization ceremonies to be conducted in English.
Amends specified Federal law to declare, as a general rule of construction, that English language requirements and workplace policies, whether in the public or private sector, shall be presumptively consistent with the Laws of the United States.
Requires the Department of Justice to 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: (1) 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; and (2) any exceptions to this standard should be limited to extraordinary circumstances, such as asylum.
Cosponsors 108
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Mar 6, 2003 to Oct 8, 2004.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-FL | Cliff Stearns | Mar 6, 2003 | |
| R-IN | Dan Burton | Mar 6, 2003 | |
| D-MS | Gene Taylor | Mar 6, 2003 | |
| R-FL | Ginny Brown-Waite | Mar 6, 2003 | |
| R-SC | Joe Wilson | Mar 6, 2003 | |
| R-IN | John N. Hostettler | Mar 6, 2003 | |
| R-PA | Joseph R. Pitts | Mar 6, 2003 | |
| R-NC | Robin Hayes | Mar 6, 2003 | |
| R-MD | Roscoe G. Bartlett | Mar 6, 2003 | |
| R-VA | Virgil H. Goode Jr. | Mar 6, 2003 | |
| D-IL | William O. Lipinski | Mar 6, 2003 | |
| R-CT | Christopher Shays | Mar 12, 2003 | |
| R-OK | Ernest J. Istook Jr. | Mar 12, 2003 | |
| R-VA | Jo Ann Davis | Mar 12, 2003 | |
| R-MN | John Kline | Mar 12, 2003 | |
| R-IN | Mike Pence | Mar 12, 2003 | |
| R-GA | Nathan Deal | Mar 12, 2003 | |
| R-OH | Steve Chabot | Mar 12, 2003 | |
| R-NC | Sue Wilkins Myrick | Mar 12, 2003 | |
| R-CO | Thomas G. Tancredo | Mar 12, 2003 | |
| R-NC | Walter B. Jones | Mar 12, 2003 | |
| R-GA | Charles W. Norwood | Mar 25, 2003 | |
| R-MN | Gil Gutknecht | Mar 25, 2003 | |
| R-AR | John Boozman | Mar 25, 2003 | |
| R-GA | Phil Gingrey | Mar 25, 2003 | |
| R-LA | Richard H. Baker | Mar 25, 2003 | |
| R-SC | Henry E. Brown, Jr. | Apr 1, 2003 | |
| R-TN | William L. Jenkins | Apr 1, 2003 | |
| R-SC | J. Gresham Barrett | Apr 7, 2003 | |
| R-TX | Ron Paul | Apr 7, 2003 | |
| R-MO | Sam Graves | Apr 7, 2003 | |
| R-VA | Edward L. Schrock | Apr 9, 2003 | |
| D-TN | Lincoln Davis | Apr 9, 2003 | |
| R-IN | Mark E. Souder | Apr 9, 2003 | |
| R-IL | Ray LaHood | Apr 9, 2003 | |
| R-NY | Sue W. Kelly | Apr 11, 2003 | |
| R-VA | Bob Goodlatte | May 1, 2003 | |
| R-OH | John A. Boehner | May 1, 2003 | |
| R-TN | Zach Wamp | May 1, 2003 | |
| R-FL | Michael Bilirakis | May 6, 2003 | |
| R-TX | Pete Sessions | May 6, 2003 | |
| R-MI | Peter Hoekstra | May 15, 2003 | |
| R-WI | Thomas E. Petri | May 15, 2003 | |
| R-MN | Jim Ramstad | May 19, 2003 | |
| R-OH | Patrick J. Tiberi | May 19, 2003 | |
| R-FL | Adam H. Putnam | Jun 3, 2003 | |
| R-CA | Gary G. Miller | Jun 3, 2003 | |
| R-AZ | J. D. Hayworth | Jun 3, 2003 | |
| R-GA | Jack Kingston | Jun 3, 2003 | |
| R-CA | John T. Doolittle | Jun 3, 2003 | |
| R-MO | Jo Ann Emerson | Jun 4, 2003 | |
| R-NY | John M. McHugh | Jun 4, 2003 | |
| R-NC | Charles H. Taylor | Jun 9, 2003 | |
| D-MN | Collin C. Peterson | Jun 9, 2003 | |
| R-VA | J. Randy Forbes | Jun 9, 2003 | |
| R-OH | Robert W. Ney | Jun 9, 2003 | |
| R-PA | Todd Russell Platts | Jun 9, 2003 | |
| R-NC | Cass Ballenger | Jun 12, 2003 | |
| R-MT | Denny Rehberg | Jun 12, 2003 | |
| R-NE | Doug Bereuter | Jun 12, 2003 | |
| R-MI | Fred Upton | Jun 12, 2003 | |
| R-GA | Mac Collins | Jun 12, 2003 | |
| R-TN | Marsha Blackburn | Jun 12, 2003 | |
| R-NC | Richard Burr | Jun 12, 2003 | |
| R-IL | Henry J. Hyde | Jun 16, 2003 | |
| R-NC | Howard Coble | Jun 16, 2003 | |
| R-GA | Johnny Isakson | Jun 16, 2003 | |
| R-OH | Michael G. Oxley | Jun 16, 2003 | |
| R-TX | Ralph M. Hall | Jun 16, 2003 | |
| R-WV | Shelley Moore Capito | Jun 16, 2003 | |
| D-WV | Nick J. Rahall II | Jun 19, 2003 | |
| R-SC | Jim DeMint | Jun 24, 2003 | |
| R-CA | Mary Bono | Jun 24, 2003 | |
| R-FL | Jeff Miller | Jun 26, 2003 | |
| R-FL | Mark Foley | Jul 9, 2003 | |
| R-TX | Sam Johnson | Jul 9, 2003 | |
| R-IN | Steve Buyer | Jul 9, 2003 | |
| R-AL | Jo Bonner | Jul 10, 2003 | |
| R-TN | John J. Duncan, Jr. | Jul 10, 2003 | |
| R-WY | Barbara Cubin | Jul 14, 2003 | |
| R-CA | Ken Calvert | Jul 14, 2003 | |
| R-CA | Wally Herger | Jul 14, 2003 | |
| R-KY | Ron Lewis | Jul 15, 2003 | |
| R-MI | Joe Knollenberg | Jul 18, 2003 | |
| R-NJ | Scott Garrett | Jul 18, 2003 | |
| R-MS | Charles W. "Chip" Pickering | Jul 21, 2003 | |
| R-KY | Ed Whitfield | Jul 21, 2003 | |
| R-IL | John Shimkus | Jul 21, 2003 | |
| R-MO | W. Todd Akin | Jul 21, 2003 | |
| R-MI | Candice S. Miller | Jul 24, 2003 | |
| R-MI | Dave Camp | Jul 24, 2003 | |
| R-LA | Jim McCrery | Jul 24, 2003 | |
| R-OK | Frank D. Lucas | Sep 3, 2003 | |
| R-CO | Marilyn N. Musgrave | Sep 3, 2003 | |
| R-PA | Melissa A. Hart | Sep 9, 2003 | |
| R-NY | Jack Quinn | Sep 25, 2003 | |
| R-OH | Michael R. Turner | Oct 16, 2003 | |
| R-IL | Philip M. Crane | Oct 16, 2003 | |
| R-CA | Dana Rohrabacher | Oct 30, 2003 | |
| R-TX | John Abney Culberson | Oct 30, 2003 | |
| R-GA | Max Burns | Oct 30, 2003 | |
| R-AL | Robert B. Aderholt | Oct 30, 2003 | |
| R-NJ | Jim Saxton | Nov 20, 2003 | |
| R-PA | Bill Shuster | Mar 9, 2004 | |
| R-CO | Joel Hefley | May 11, 2004 | |
| R-IL | Judy Biggert | Sep 15, 2004 | |
| R-KS | Jim Ryun | Sep 21, 2004 | |
| R-CA | Edward R. Royce | Oct 8, 2004 |
Committees 2
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Education and Workforce Committee | Referred Feb 27, 2003 |
| Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee | Referred Mar 24, 2003 | |
| House | Judiciary Committee | Referred Feb 27, 2003 |
| Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee | Referred May 5, 2003 |
Actions 5
Everything that happened, newest first.
- May 5, 2003Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.
- Mar 24, 2003Referred to the Subcommittee on Education Reform.
- Mar 13, 2003Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E464-466)
- Feb 27, 2003Introduced in House
- Feb 27, 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.
In the Congressional Record 2
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extensions | Debate and remarks E909 | Steve King R-IA | May 19, 2004 |
| Extensions | Debate and remarks E464 | Steve King R-IA | Mar 13, 2003 |
Titles 2
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To declare English as the official language of the United States, to establish a uniform English language rule for naturalization, and to avoid mis-constructions 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.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- English Language Unity Act of 2003
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Government Operations and Politics.
- Administrative procedure
- Citizenship
- Civics education
- Civil actions and liability
- Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
- Congress
- Declaration of Independence
- Department of Justice
- Education
- Educational tests
- English language
- Evidence (Law)
- Federal employees
- Government Operations and Politics
- Government paperwork
- Government publications
- Government regulation
- History
- Immigrants
- Immigration
- Labor and Employment
- Law
- Legislation
- Members of Congress
- Naturalization
- Right of asylum
- Standards
- States' rights
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Feb 27, 2003Introduced in House
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; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.