For Immediate Release
\nSeptember, 27, 2007
\nContact: Phil Kent
\nPhone: (404) 226-3549<\/p>\n
Senators Urge President Bush to Promote English<\/p>\n
ARLINGTON, VA – “In the decade since the U.S. Commission on
\nImmigration Reform urged ‘the Americanization of new immigrants,’ two
\nsuccessive administrations, one Democrat and one Republican, have utterly
\nfailed to strengthen the English component of the citizenship test or to
\ntake other steps necessary to enhance the role of English in the
\nassimilation of immigrants,'” says ProEnglish Executive Director K.C.
\nMcAlpin. He praises the just-released letter nine U.S. senators sent to
\nPresident George W. Bush that urges him to embrace four key English
\ninitiatives.<\/p>\n
The letter was sponsored by Senator James Inhofe, R-Okla., and
\nco-signed by Senators Tom Coburn, R-Okla., Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., Saxby
\nChambliss, R-Ga. Elizabeth Dole, N.C., Richard Burr, R.-N.C., Jim DeMint,
\nR-S.C., Norm Coleman, R-Minn. and Jeff Sessions, R-Ala. <\/p>\n
“Ten years ago the U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform, chaired by
\nthe late Rep. Barbara Jordan, D-Tex., made a number of cogent
\nrecommendations for action that have languished while assimilation policy is
\nstuck in reverse,” McAlpin said. The senators’ letter urges the president
\nto:<\/p>\n
* Support a law making English the official language of U.S.
\ngovernment operations;<\/p>\n
* Strengthen the English component of the U.S. Naturalization Test.
\nThe letter quotes a Commission recommendation: “The English test should
\naccurately and fairly measure an immigrant’s ability to speak, read and
\nwrite; the current practice of dictating English sentences for applicants to
\nwrite is not an effective means of testing English proficiency.”<\/p>\n
* Repeal Executive Order 13166 that requires all levels of
\ngovernment as well as other federal funds recipients to provide translation
\nand interpreter services for non-English speakers.<\/p>\n
* Support new initiatives to encourage individuals, businesses,
\ngovernment entities and others to foster English fluency.<\/p>\n
“Enhancing the role of English in our society will strengthen
\nassimilation and preserve our country’s unity,” Senator Jim Inhofe said.
\n“This debate is not just about preserving our culture and heritage, but also
\nabout bettering the odds of our nation’s newest potential citizens.”<\/p>\n
McAlpin added, “This letter marking the 10th anniversary of the
\nJordan Commission report highlights how much of the Commission’s carefully
\nconsidered report has been ignored.” A copy of the letter is available on
\nProEnglish’s website: www.proenglish.org.
\n# # #<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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