|
||||
House Votes Against English. Late at night on October 11, 2001, the U.S. House of Representatives rejected an amendment which would have defunded efforts to make the federal government officially multi-lingual. Instead, the House voted to require a study of the costs and benefits of government agencies and contractors providing services in any language demanded. In August 2000, then-President Clinton issued Executive Order 13166. E.O. 13166 declared a person's choice of language the same as the person's national origin, making language a new civil right under federal law. E.O. 13166 also required all federal agencies and persons receiving federal funds to provide all services in any language requested, at no cost to the person asking for the services. The net effect of E.O. 13166 was to make the federal government officially multilingual. Because the order also covers state and local governments and private businesses which receive federal funds, E.O. 13166 also undercuts all state Official English laws, and makes thousands of private companies liable to new language demands. The Bush Administration has refused to revoke E.O. 13166. On October 26, following the House vote, the Bush Justice Department issued a "clarification" of the new rules, but said that the order remains "in force." There is a substantial movement in Congress to repeal or defund E.O. 13166. H.R. 969, a bill to withdraw the order, was introduced in August. The 262-156 vote rejected the Istook Amendment, offered by Oklahoma Republican Cong. Ernest Istook, which would have denied funding to implement E.O. 13166. Many Republicans said that they wanted to give the Bush Administration time to review and revise the order before voting to defund it. Voting records showing
which Representatives voted for and against the Istook
Amendment are on-line at the Clerk of the House website: |
||||
The
ELPAC Report 