BF2S Forums Congressman Steve King Strives to Make English the Official Language

The House Judiciary Committee will take up a bill from King, entitled the "English Language Unity Act," which would declare English as the official language of the United States.

"A common language is the most unifying force known throughout history," King says. "More powerful than race, ethnicity, more powerful than common experiences or even religion, Let's have a united America that is going in the same direction."

The bill's provisions are fairly vague and largely symbolic. But the legislation places an English language requirement on work places and requires official government functions to be carried out in English.

King says the bill nullifies a Clinton-era executive order that requires federal agencies to provide interpreters for non-English speakers accessing social programs.

"We will not be borrowing money from the Chinese to fund interpreters to speak Chinese for people lined up for welfare," King says.

King's bill also requires immigrants taking the naturalization test to "read and understand" the English versions of the "Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the laws of the United States." King asserts the only exception to that should be in instances of political asylum.