PoliticalRepoPoliticalRepo

United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 622 (105th)

Declaration of Official Language Act of 1997

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

5 February 1997

Last action

5 March 1997 · Referred

Status

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.

Sponsors

Rep. Stump, Bob [R-AZ-3], Rep. Petri, Thomas E. [R-WI-6], Rep. Herger, Wally [R-CA-2], Rep. Hilleary, Van [R-TN-4], Rep. Bunning, Jim [R-KY-4], Rep. Ewing, Thomas W. [R-IL-15], Rep. Crane, Philip M. [R-IL-12], ED ROYCE, Rep. Archer, Bill [R-TX-7], Rep. Ganske, Greg [R-IA-4], Rep. Knollenberg, Joe [R-MI-9], Roger Wicker, PETER KING, Rep. Solomon, Gerald B. H. [R-NY-24], Rep. Bono, Sonny [R-CA-44], Rep. Manzullo, Donald A. [R-IL-16], Rep. Norwood, Charles W. [R-GA-10], Rep. Myrick, Sue Wilkins [R-NC-9], Rep. Smith, Robert [R-OR-2], Rep. Packard, Ron [R-CA-43], Rep. Everett, Terry [R-AL-2], JOHN DUNCAN, Rep. Peterson, John E. [R-PA-5], Rep. Weldon, Dave [R-FL-15], F. SENSENBRENNER, Rep. Coble, Howard [R-NC-6], Robert Aderholt, Rep. Ney, Robert W. [R-OH-18], Ken Calvert, Rep. Shadegg, John B. [R-AZ-3], Rep. Spence, Floyd [R-SC-2], Rep. Schaffer, Bob [R-CO-4], DANA ROHRABACHER, Rep. Dickey, Jay [R-AR-4], Rep. Gibbons, Jim [R-NV-2], Rep. Goode, Virgil H., Jr. [R-VA-5], Rep. Cox, Christopher [R-CA-40], Rep. Cooksey, John [R-LA-5], Rep. Combest, Larry [R-TX-19]

Subjects

Immigration, Education

Source updated

21 August 2025

Immigration · Education

Official sourceDownload fileView documentsShare

Summary

Declaration of Official Language Act of 1997 - Declares English to be the official language of the U.S. Government. States that English is the preferred language of communication among U.S. citizens. Requires the U.S. Government to promote and support the use of English for communications among U.S. citizens. Requires communications by officers and employees of the U.S. Government with U.S. citizens to be in English. Directs the Immigration and Naturalization Service to: (1) enforce the established English language proficiency standard for all applicants for U.S. citizenship; and (2) conduct all naturalization ceremonies entirely in English. Allows anyone injured by a violation of such provisions to obtain appropriate relief in a civil action. Authorizes the court in any such action to allow a prevailing party, other than the U.S. Government, a reasonable attorney's fee as part of costs. Repeals the Bilingual Education Act (title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965). Amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to repeal bilingual voting requirements.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 5 February 1997

    Introduced

    Referred to House Education and the Workforce

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 5 February 1997

    Introduced

    Referred 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.

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 5 February 1997

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 5 February 1997

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  5. 21 February 1997

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Youth and Families.

    Source: Committee

  6. 5 March 1997

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.

    Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Documents

3 official files

Introduced in House (text)

View fileDownload file

Sponsors

Related records

No cross-record relationships stored yet.

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.