US Congress House Bill 997 (Prior Session Legislation)

---

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Republican 132-7)
Status: Introduced on February 11 2009 - 25% progression, died in chamber
Action: 2009-07-23 - Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

English Language Unity Act of 2009 - Makes English the official language of the United States. Requires, subject to exceptions and rules of construction, that: (1) official functions of the United States be conducted in English; and (2) all naturalization ceremonies be conducted in English. Establishes a uniform English language rule for naturalization. Makes English language requirements and workplace policies, whether in the public or private sector, presumptively consistent with the laws of the United States. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to issue for public notice and comment a proposed rule for uniform testing of English language ability of candidates for naturalization based upon the principles that: (1) all citizens should be able to read and understand generally the English language text of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the laws of the United States; and (2) any exceptions to this standard should be limited to extraordinary circumstances, such as asylum.

English Language Unity Act of 2009

Rep. Robert Aderholt [R-AL]	Rep. Todd Akin [R-MO]	Rep. Rodney Alexander [R-LA]	Rep. Jason Altmire [D-PA]
Rep. Michele Bachmann [R-MN]	Rep. Spencer Bachus [R-AL]	Rep. Gresham Barrett [R-SC]	Rep. Roscoe Bartlett [R-MD]
Rep. Joe Barton [R-TX]	Rep. Judy Biggert [R-IL]	Rep. Brian Bilbray [R-CA]	Rep. Gus Bilirakis [R-FL]
Rep. Rob Bishop [R-UT]	Sen. Marsha Blackburn [R-TN]	Sen. Roy Blunt [R-MO]	Rep. Jo Bonner [R-AL]
Sen. John Boozman [R-AR]	Rep. Charles Boustany [R-LA]	Rep. Paul Broun [R-GA]	Rep. Henry Brown [R-SC]
Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite [R-FL]	Rep. Vern Buchanan [R-FL]	Rep. Michael Burgess [R-TX]	Rep. Dan Burton [R-IN]
Rep. Ken Calvert [R-CA]	Rep. Dave Camp [R-MI]	Rep. John Campbell [R-CA]	Rep. Eric Cantor [R-VA]
Sen. Shelley Capito [R-WV]	Rep. Christopher Carney [D-PA]	Rep. Jason Chaffetz [R-UT]	Rep. Travis Childers [D-MS]
Rep. Howard Coble [R-NC]	Rep. Mike Coffman [R-CO]	Rep. John Culberson [R-TX]	Rep. Geoff Davis [R-KY]
Rep. Lincoln Davis [D-TN]	Rep. Nathan Deal [R-GA]	Rep. David Dreier [R-CA]	Rep. John Duncan [R-TN]
Rep. Jo Emerson [R-MO]	Rep. Mary Fallin [R-OK]	Rep. John Fleming [R-LA]	Rep. Randy Forbes [R-VA]
Rep. Jeff Fortenberry [R-NE]	Rep. Virginia Foxx [R-NC]	Rep. Trent Franks [R-AZ]	Rep. Elton Gallegly [R-CA]
Rep. Scott Garrett [R-NJ]	Rep. Phil Gingrey [R-GA]	Rep. Louie Gohmert [R-TX]	Rep. Bob Goodlatte [R-VA]
Rep. Sam Graves [R-MO]	Rep. Parker Griffith [R-AL]	Rep. Ralph Hall [R-TX]	Rep. Gregg Harper [R-MS]
Sen. Dean Heller [R-NV]	Rep. Wally Herger [R-CA]	Rep. Peter Hoekstra [R-MI]	Rep. Duncan Hunter [R-CA]
Rep. Bob Inglis [R-SC]	Rep. Darrell Issa [R-CA]	Rep. Lynn Jenkins [R-KS]	Rep. Sam Johnson [R-TX]
Rep. Walter Jones [R-NC]	Rep. Jim Jordan [R-OH]	Rep. Peter King [R-NY]	Rep. Steve King [R-IA]
Rep. John Kline [R-MN]	Rep. Doug Lamborn [R-CO]	Rep. Tom Latham [R-IA]	Rep. Steven LaTourette [R-OH]
Rep. Robert Latta [R-OH]	Rep. Christopher Lee [R-NY]	Rep. John Linder [R-GA]	Rep. Frank Lucas [R-OK]
Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer [R-MO]	Sen. Cynthia Lummis [R-WY]	Rep. Donald Manzullo [R-IL]	Rep. Kenny Marchant [R-TX]
Rep. Kevin McCarthy [R-CA]	Rep. Michael McCaul [R-TX]	Rep. Tom McClintock [R-CA]	Rep. Thaddeus McCotter [R-MI]
Rep. Patrick McHenry [R-NC]	Rep. John McHugh [R-NY]	Rep. Mike McIntyre [D-NC]	Rep. Howard McKeon [R-CA]
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers [R-WA]	Rep. John Mica [R-FL]	Rep. Gary Miller [R-CA]	Rep. Jeff Miller [R-FL]
Sen. Jerry Moran [R-KS]	Rep. Tim Murphy [R-PA]	Rep. Sue Myrick [R-NC]	Rep. Randy Neugebauer [R-TX]
Rep. Pete Olson [R-TX]	Rep. Ron Paul [R-TX]	Rep. Mike Pence [R-IN]	Rep. Collin Peterson [D-MN]
Rep. Thomas Petri [R-WI]	Rep. Joseph Pitts [R-PA]	Rep. Todd Platts [R-PA]	Rep. Ted Poe [R-TX]
Rep. Bill Posey [R-FL]	Rep. Tom Price [R-GA]	Rep. Adam Putnam [R-FL]	Rep. Denny Rehberg [R-MT]
Rep. David Roe [R-TN]	Rep. Harold Rogers [R-KY]	Rep. Mike D. Rogers [R-AL]	Rep. Mike J. Rogers [R-MI]
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher [R-CA]	Rep. Thomas Rooney [R-FL]	Rep. Edward Royce [R-CA]	Rep. Steve Scalise [R-LA]
Rep. Jean Schmidt [R-OH]	Rep. Aaron Schock [R-IL]	Rep. Pete Sessions [R-TX]	Rep. John Shadegg [R-AZ]
Rep. Bill Shuster [R-PA]	Rep. Michael Simpson [R-ID]	Rep. Adrian Smith [R-NE]	Rep. Mark Souder [R-IN]
Rep. Cliff Stearns [R-FL]	Rep. John Sullivan [R-OK]	Rep. Gene Taylor [D-MS]	Rep. Glenn Thompson [R-PA]
Rep. Todd Tiahrt [R-KS]	Rep. Patrick Tiberi [R-OH]	Rep. Michael Turner [R-OH]	Rep. Fred Upton [R-MI]
Rep. Greg Walden [R-OR]	Rep. Zach Wamp [R-TN]	Rep. Lynn Westmoreland [R-GA]	Rep. Ed Whitfield [R-KY]
Rep. Joe Wilson [R-SC]	Rep. Robert Wittman [R-VA]	Rep. Frank Wolf [R-VA]

Date	Chamber	Action
2009-07-23		Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
2009-03-23		Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
2009-02-11		Referred to House Judiciary
2009-02-11		Referred to House Education and Labor
2009-02-11		Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, 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.

SB991 (Same As) 2009-05-06 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5240-5241)

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/997/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hr997/BILLS-111hr997ih.pdf