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    This page contains bills sponsored by presidential contenders. Bill sponsorships indicate the topics that legislators are most interested in, and spend the most time on.

99-HR0123 on Jan 6, 1999

Legislation by 2008 Presidential Candidates: declaring English the official language of the US
Source: English Language Empowerment Act (H.R.123)
OFFICIAL CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY:
    Amends Federal law to declare English to be the official language of the US Government.
  • Representatives of the Federal Government have an affirmative obligation to preserve and enhance the role of English as the official language of the Federal Government.
  • Requires such representatives to conduct official business in English.
  • Prohibits anyone from being denied Government services because he or she communicates in English.
  • Requires that all officials conduct all naturalization ceremonies entirely in English.
  • Declares that nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit the preservation or use of Native Alaskan or Native American languages.

EXCERPTS FROM BILL:

    The Congress finds and declares the following:
  2. The US is comprised of individuals and groups from diverse ethnic, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds.
  4. The US has benefited and continues to benefit from this rich diversity.
  5. The common thread binding individuals of differing backgrounds has been a common language.
  6. The Federal Government should maintain a language common to all people.
  7. English has historically been the common language and the language of opportunity in the US.
  8. The purpose of this title is to help immigrants better assimilate and take full advantage of opportunities in the US.
  9. By learning the English language, immigrants will be empowered with the language skills and literacy necessary to become responsible citizens and productive workers in the US.
  10. The use of a single common language in conducting official business of the Federal Government will promote efficiency and fairness.
  11. English should be recognized in law as the language of official business of the Federal Government.
  12. Any monetary savings derived from the enactment of this title should be used for the teaching of the English language to non-English-speaking immigrants.

Also see the related House of Representatives bill H.R.997 from 2007.

    Participating counts on VoteMatch question 12. Question 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens Scores: -2=Strongly oppose; -1=Oppose; 0=neutral; 1=Support; 2=Strongly support.
  • Topic: Immigration
  • Headline: Declared English the official language of the US (Score: -1)
  • Headline 2: Sponsored bill declaring English the US' official language (Score: -1)

    Participating counts on AmericansElect question 4.
  • Headline: Declared English the official language of the US (Answer: D)
  • Headline 2: Sponsored bill declaring English the US' official language (Answer: D)
  • AmericansElect Quiz Question 4 on Immigration: When you think about illegal immigration, which of the following solutions come closest to your opinion?
    • A: All illegal immigrants should be able to stay in the US legally
    • B: Most illegal immigrants should be able to stay in the US, with some exceptions
    • C: Most illegal immigrants should be deported, with some exceptions
    • D: All illegal immigrants should be deported
    • E: Unsure


  • Key for participation codes:
  • Sponsorships: p=sponsored; o=co-sponsored; s=signed
  • Memberships: c=chair; m=member; e=endorsed; f=profiled; s=scored
  • Resolutions: i=introduced; w=wrote; a=adopted
  • Cases: w=wrote; j=joined; d=dissented; c=concurred
  • Surveys: '+' supports; '-' opposes.



Democrats participating in 99-HR0123

Bob Clement s1oTennessee Democrat 
Bud Cramer s1oAlabama Democrat (Retired 2008) 
Pat Danner s1oMissouri Democrat 
Ralph Moody Hall s1oTexas Democrat until 2004; now GOP 
William Lipinski s1oIllinois Democrat (Until 2004) 
Frank Mascara s1oPennsylvania Democrat 
Collin Peterson s1oMinnesota Democrat/Farmer/Labor 
Owen Pickett s1oVirginia Democrat 
Ronnie Shows s1oMississippi Democrat 
Norman Sisisky s1oVirginia Democrat 
Gene Taylor s1oMississippi Democratic Challenger 
Jim Traficant s1oOhio Democrat 



Republicans participating in 99-HR0123

Robert Aderholt s1oAlabama Republican 
Bill Archer s1oTexas Republican 
Spencer Bachus s1oAlabama Republican (retiring 2014) 
Richard Hugh Baker s1oLouisiana Republican (Resigned 2008) 
Cass Ballenger s1oNorth Carolina Republican 
Bob Barr s2pGeorgia Republican Challenger 
Bill Barrett s1oNebraska Republican 
Roscoe Bartlett s1oMaryland Republican 
Joe Linus Barton s1oTexas Republican 
Herb Bateman s1oVirginia Republican 
Brian Bilbray s1oCalifornia Republican 
Michael Bilirakis s1oFlorida Republican (Retired 2006) 
Tom Bliley s1oVirginia Republican 
Roy Blunt s1oMissouri Republican (until 2010) 
John Boehner s1oOhio Republican 
Mary Bono s1oCalifornia Republican 
Richard Burr s1oNC Republican Sr Senator; previously Representative 
Dan Burton s1oIndiana Republican (Retiring 2012) 
Sonny Callahan s1oAlabama Republican 
Ken Calvert s1oCalifornia Republican 
Saxby Chambliss s1oGA Republican Sr Senator (retiring 2014) 
John Howard Coble s1oNorth Carolina Republican (retiring 2014) 
Tom Coburn s1oOK Republican Jr Senator; previously Representative 
Christopher Cox s1oCalifornia Republican 
Philip Crane s1oIllinois Republican (Until 2004) 
Barbara Cubin s1oWyoming Republican (Retiring 2008) 
Nathan Deal s1oGA Republican Governor 
Tom DeLay s1oTexas Republican 
Jim DeMint s1oSC Republican Jr Senator; previously Representative 
Jay Dickey s1oArkansas Republican 
John Doolittle s1oCalifornia Republican (Retiring 2008) 
Jimmy Duncan s1oTennessee Republican 
Vernon Ehlers s1oMichigan Republican (until 2010) 
Jo Ann Emerson s1oMissouri Republican (Resigned 2013) 
Terry Everett s1oAlabama Republican (Retiring 2008) 
Thomas Ewing s1oIllinois Republican 
Mark Foley s1oFlorida Republican 
Greg Ganske s1oIA Former Republican Nominee (2002) 
George Gekas s1oPennsylvania Republican 
Jim Gibbons s1oNevada Republican 
Bob Goodlatte s1oVirginia Republican 
Lindsey Graham s1oSC Republican Sr Senator 
Gil Gutknecht s1oMinnesota Republican 
James Hansen s1oUtah Republican 
Doc Hastings s1oWashington Republican (retiring 2014) 
J.D. Hayworth s1oArizona Republican (until 2007) 
Joel Hefley s1oColorado Republican 
Wally Herger s1oCalifornia Republican (Retiring 2012) 
Rick Hill s1oMontana Republican 
Van Hilleary s1oTennessee Republican 
Peter Hoekstra s1oMI Republican Challenger 
Steve Horn s1oCalifornia Republican 
Kenny Hulshof s1oMissouri Republican (Governor 2008) 
Duncan Hunter s1oCalifornia Republican (Retiring 2008) 
Asa Hutchinson s1oAR Republican Governor 
Henry Hyde s1oIllinois Republican 
Johnny Isakson s1oGA Republican Jr Senator; previously Representative 
Ernest Istook s1oOklahoma Republican 
Nancy Lee Johnson s1oConnecticut Republican 
Sam Johnson s1oTexas Republican 
Walter Beaman Jones s1oNorth Carolina Republican 
John Kasich s1oOH Republican presidential candidate 
Sue Kelly s1oNew York Republican (until 2007) 
Jack Kingston s1oGA Republican Challenger 
Joe Knollenberg s1oMichigan Republican (Unseated 2008) 
Jim Kolbe s1oArizona Republican 
Steven Kuykendall s1oCalifornia Republican 
Ray LaHood s1oIllinois Republican (Retiring 2008) 
Steve Largent s1oOK00 Former Republican Challenger (2002) 
Tom Latham s1oIowa Republican (retiring 2014) 
Steven LaTourette s1oOhio Republican 
Ron Lewis s1oKentucky Republican (Retiring 2008) 
Frank Dean Lucas s1oOklahoma Republican 
Donald Manzullo s1oIllinois Republican (Lost 2012 Primary) 
Jim McCrery s1oLouisiana Republican (Retiring 2008) 
Buck McKeon s1oCalifornia Republican (retiring 2014) 
Gary Miller s1oCalifornia Republican (retiring 2014) 
Sue Myrick s1oNorth Carolina Republican (Retiring 2012) 
Bob Ney s1oOhio Republican 
Charlie Norwood s1oGeorgia Republican 
Michael Oxley s1oOhio Republican 
Ron Packard s1oCalifornia Republican 
John Peterson s1oPennsylvania Republican (Retired 2008) 
Tom Petri s1oWisconsin Republican 
Charles Pickering s1oMississippi Republican (Retiring 2008) 
Richard Pombo s1oCalifornia Republican 
John Porter s1oIllinois Republican (retired) 
Deborah Pryce s1oOhio Republican 
Jim Ramstad s1oMinnesota Republican (Retiring 2008) 
Ralph Regula s1oOhio Republican (Retiring 2008) 
Bob Riley s1oAL Former Republican Governor (until 2010) 
Hal Rogers s1oKentucky Republican 
Dana Rohrabacher s1oCalifornia Republican 
Marge Roukema s1oNew Jersey Republican 
Ed Royce s1oCalifornia Republican 
Matt Salmon s1oArizona Republican 
Mark Sanford s1oSC Former Republican Governor (2002-2010) 
Jim Saxton s1oNew Jersey Republican (Retiring 2008) 
Joe Scarborough s1oFlorida Republican 
James Sensenbrenner s1oWisconsin Republican 
Christopher Shays s1oConnecticut Republican (Unseated 2008) 
Bud Shuster s1oPennsylvania Former Rep.(resigned 3/3/2001) 
Mark Souder s1oIndiana Republican (until 2010) 
Floyd Spence s1oSouth Carolina Republican 
Cliff Stearns s1oFlorida Republican (Lost 2012 primary) 
John Sununu s1oNew Hampshire Republican 
Jim Talent s1oMissouri Republican 
Tom Tancredo s1oCO Republican Gubernatorial Challenger 
Charles Taylor s1oNorth Carolina Republican 
Todd Tiahrt s1oKansas Republican Challenger 
Zach Wamp s1oTennessee Republican (until 2010) 
Wes Watkins s1oOklahoma Republican 
Curt Weldon s1oPennsylvania Republican 
Dave Weldon s1oFL Republican Senate Challenger (Lost primary) 
Roger Wicker s1oMississippi Republican (Senate 2008) 



Independents participating in 99-HR0123

Tom Campbell s1oCA 2010 Republican Challenger (lost primary) 
Mac Collins s1oGA 2004 former Republican challenger; US Representative 
Tillie Fowler s1oFlorida Former GOP 
Virgil Goode s1oPOTUS Constitution Party Challenger 
John Hostettler s1oIN 2010 Senate Challenger (lost GOP primary); formerly US Rep. 
John Linder s1oGeorgia Former GOP (until 2010) 
George Nethercutt s1oWA 2004 former Republican challenger; US Representative 
George Radanovich s1oCalifornia Former GOP (until 2010) 
Bob Stump s1oArizona Former GOP (until 2010) 



Total recorded by OnTheIssues:

Democrats: 12
Republicans: 115
Independents: 9
















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