Post by Okwes on May 30, 2006 15:26:25 GMT -5
Senate Votes English as 'National Language'
Bill Keeps in Place Multilingual Laws
By Jonathan Weisman and Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, May 19, 2006; A01
After an emotional debate fraught with symbolism, the Senate yesterday
voted to make English the "national language" of the United States,
declaring that no one has a right to federal communications or services
in a language other than English except for those already guaranteed by
law.
The measure, approved 63 to 34, directs the government to "preserve and
enhance" the role of English, without altering current laws that require
some government documents and services be provided in other languages.
Opponents, however, said it could negate executive orders, regulations,
civil service guidances and other multilingual ordinances not officially
sanctioned by acts of Congress.
That vote, considered a defeat for immigration-rights advocates, was
followed last night by an important victory: By 58 to 35, the Senate
killed an amendment that would have blocked eventual citizenship for
future immigrants who arrive under a temporary work permit. Democrats
and Republicans agreed that the amendment would have destroyed the
fragile, bipartisan coalition backing the Senate bill.
The Senate action came hours after President Bush, who visited the
border town of Yuma, Ariz., asked Congress to approve a $1.95 billion
budget request to deploy National Guard troops and 1,000 additional
enforcement agents to the U.S.-Mexico border. Bush also endorsed for the
first time the construction of 370 miles of southern border fences to
cut down on illegal immigration.
The English language vote continued the conservative turn that a major
overhaul of the nation's immigration laws has taken since the Senate
began debate this week. The comprehensive legislation would strengthen
border security, allow illegal immigrants who have been in the country
five years or more to remain and eventually become citizens, and create
a guest-worker program.
With approval of a triple-layered border fence Wednesday, the capping of
the annual number of guest-worker visas at 200,000 and the
English-language amendment yesterday, Republicans say the bill is
tougher than the original version and comes closer to what is needed to
satisfy many conservatives.
But immigrants-rights groups say their support is teetering. "This is
devastating," said Raul Gonzalez, legislative director of the National
Council of La Raza, after the English-language vote. "For us, this is a
tough issue to bring back to the community."
Only nine Senate Democrats voted for the amendment and one Republican,
Sen. Pete V. Domenici (N.M.), voted against it. Maryland's two
Democratic senators voted against it, and Virginia's two GOP senators
voted for it.
The English-language debate has roiled U.S. politics for decades and, in
some quarters, has been as controversial and important as an amendment
to ban flag burning.
The impact of the language amendment was unclear even after its passage.
The wording negating claims to multilingual services appears
straightforward. It also sets requirements that immigrants seeking U.S.
citizenship know the English language and U.S. history. The amendment
would require more thorough testing to demonstrate English-language
proficiency and knowledge of U.S. history and elements of U.S. culture
such as the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem.
But its author, Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.), made two last-minute
changes that some opponents said would reduce its effect significantly.
By stipulating that the English-only mandates could not negate existing
laws, Inhofe spared current ordinances that allow bilingual education or
multilingual ballots. By changing the amendment to label English the
"national language" rather than the "official language" of the country,
Inhofe may have lessened its symbolic power.
"In my view, we had it watered down enough to make it acceptable," said
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), one of the chief architects of the
immigration bill.
But pro-immigration groups and some Democrats said the amendment would
obliterate executive orders issued by President Bill Clinton that
mandated multilingual services and communications in a variety of
federal agencies, and could undermine court orders, agency regulations,
civil service guidances, and state and local ordinances that call for
multilingual services.
Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) called the amendment
"racist," and Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.) dismissed it as divisive and
anti-American.
Further complicating the picture, moments after approving the Inhofe
amendment, the Senate voted 58 to 39 to approve a competing amendment by
Salazar. It declared English the "common unifying language of the United
States," but mandated that nothing in that declaration "shall diminish
or expand any existing rights" regarding multilingual services.
Senators said the conflict will have to be worked out in negotiations
with the House.
During his appearance in Arizona with Gov. Janet Napolitano (D) in
attendance, Bush offered some tough talk. After touring a porous section
of the border that has helped turn Yuma into a hotbed for illegal
workers, Bush told a group of federal patrol agents that the White House
is committed to sending reinforcements soon, and to significantly
expanding security and staff over the next several years.
"It's time to get immediate results," Bush said at the Yuma Sector
Border Patrol headquarters.
But administration officials made it clear that the $1.95 billion for
the president's border initiative should come out of the same money
approved by the Senate in its version of an emergency war spending bill.
That angered Senate Budget Committee Chairman Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), who
had secured that money solely for capital expenditures, such as fences,
sensors and watchtowers, not border security operations. But Gregg said
he has "been told rather bluntly" some of those expenditures will have
to wait.
The White House said the new budget request by Bush would cover the $750
million-plus Guard deployment, new agents, fences and barriers, five
helicopters and two new unmanned surveillance aircraft. The money would
be offset by delaying other military purchases, according to the White
House.
VandeHei reported from Yuma.
© 2006 The Washington Post Company
Bill Keeps in Place Multilingual Laws
By Jonathan Weisman and Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, May 19, 2006; A01
After an emotional debate fraught with symbolism, the Senate yesterday
voted to make English the "national language" of the United States,
declaring that no one has a right to federal communications or services
in a language other than English except for those already guaranteed by
law.
The measure, approved 63 to 34, directs the government to "preserve and
enhance" the role of English, without altering current laws that require
some government documents and services be provided in other languages.
Opponents, however, said it could negate executive orders, regulations,
civil service guidances and other multilingual ordinances not officially
sanctioned by acts of Congress.
That vote, considered a defeat for immigration-rights advocates, was
followed last night by an important victory: By 58 to 35, the Senate
killed an amendment that would have blocked eventual citizenship for
future immigrants who arrive under a temporary work permit. Democrats
and Republicans agreed that the amendment would have destroyed the
fragile, bipartisan coalition backing the Senate bill.
The Senate action came hours after President Bush, who visited the
border town of Yuma, Ariz., asked Congress to approve a $1.95 billion
budget request to deploy National Guard troops and 1,000 additional
enforcement agents to the U.S.-Mexico border. Bush also endorsed for the
first time the construction of 370 miles of southern border fences to
cut down on illegal immigration.
The English language vote continued the conservative turn that a major
overhaul of the nation's immigration laws has taken since the Senate
began debate this week. The comprehensive legislation would strengthen
border security, allow illegal immigrants who have been in the country
five years or more to remain and eventually become citizens, and create
a guest-worker program.
With approval of a triple-layered border fence Wednesday, the capping of
the annual number of guest-worker visas at 200,000 and the
English-language amendment yesterday, Republicans say the bill is
tougher than the original version and comes closer to what is needed to
satisfy many conservatives.
But immigrants-rights groups say their support is teetering. "This is
devastating," said Raul Gonzalez, legislative director of the National
Council of La Raza, after the English-language vote. "For us, this is a
tough issue to bring back to the community."
Only nine Senate Democrats voted for the amendment and one Republican,
Sen. Pete V. Domenici (N.M.), voted against it. Maryland's two
Democratic senators voted against it, and Virginia's two GOP senators
voted for it.
The English-language debate has roiled U.S. politics for decades and, in
some quarters, has been as controversial and important as an amendment
to ban flag burning.
The impact of the language amendment was unclear even after its passage.
The wording negating claims to multilingual services appears
straightforward. It also sets requirements that immigrants seeking U.S.
citizenship know the English language and U.S. history. The amendment
would require more thorough testing to demonstrate English-language
proficiency and knowledge of U.S. history and elements of U.S. culture
such as the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem.
But its author, Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.), made two last-minute
changes that some opponents said would reduce its effect significantly.
By stipulating that the English-only mandates could not negate existing
laws, Inhofe spared current ordinances that allow bilingual education or
multilingual ballots. By changing the amendment to label English the
"national language" rather than the "official language" of the country,
Inhofe may have lessened its symbolic power.
"In my view, we had it watered down enough to make it acceptable," said
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), one of the chief architects of the
immigration bill.
But pro-immigration groups and some Democrats said the amendment would
obliterate executive orders issued by President Bill Clinton that
mandated multilingual services and communications in a variety of
federal agencies, and could undermine court orders, agency regulations,
civil service guidances, and state and local ordinances that call for
multilingual services.
Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) called the amendment
"racist," and Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.) dismissed it as divisive and
anti-American.
Further complicating the picture, moments after approving the Inhofe
amendment, the Senate voted 58 to 39 to approve a competing amendment by
Salazar. It declared English the "common unifying language of the United
States," but mandated that nothing in that declaration "shall diminish
or expand any existing rights" regarding multilingual services.
Senators said the conflict will have to be worked out in negotiations
with the House.
During his appearance in Arizona with Gov. Janet Napolitano (D) in
attendance, Bush offered some tough talk. After touring a porous section
of the border that has helped turn Yuma into a hotbed for illegal
workers, Bush told a group of federal patrol agents that the White House
is committed to sending reinforcements soon, and to significantly
expanding security and staff over the next several years.
"It's time to get immediate results," Bush said at the Yuma Sector
Border Patrol headquarters.
But administration officials made it clear that the $1.95 billion for
the president's border initiative should come out of the same money
approved by the Senate in its version of an emergency war spending bill.
That angered Senate Budget Committee Chairman Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), who
had secured that money solely for capital expenditures, such as fences,
sensors and watchtowers, not border security operations. But Gregg said
he has "been told rather bluntly" some of those expenditures will have
to wait.
The White House said the new budget request by Bush would cover the $750
million-plus Guard deployment, new agents, fences and barriers, five
helicopters and two new unmanned surveillance aircraft. The money would
be offset by delaying other military purchases, according to the White
House.
VandeHei reported from Yuma.
© 2006 The Washington Post Company