US Congress House Bill 997 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 91-0)
Status: Introduced on February 13 2015 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2015-03-16 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.
Pending: House Subcommittee on Immigration And Border Security Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

English Language Unity Act of 2015 Establishes English as the official language of the United States. Requires naturalization ceremonies and official functions of the U.S. government, subject to exceptions, to be conducted in English. Declares that all citizens should be able to read and understand generally the English language text of U.S. laws. Allows a person injured by a violation of this Act to obtain relief, including a declaratory judgment, in a civil action. Declares that English language requirements and workplace policies, whether in the public or private sector, shall be presumptively consistent with U.S. laws. Requires any ambiguity in U.S. laws to be resolved in accordance with the rights retained by the people and the powers reserved to states under the Bill of Rights. Directs the Department of Homeland Security to issue a proposed rule for uniform testing of the 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 2015

Rep. Steve King [R-IA]	Rep. Trent Franks [R-AZ]	Rep. Steven Palazzo [R-MS]	Rep. Tom McClintock [R-CA]
Rep. Thomas Massie [R-KY]	Rep. Mike D. Rogers [R-AL]	Rep. Doug Lamborn [R-CO]	Rep. Dana Rohrabacher [R-CA]
Rep. Matt Salmon [R-AZ]	Rep. David Joyce [R-OH]	Rep. Mo Brooks [R-AL]	Rep. Jeff Duncan [R-SC]
Rep. Robert Wittman [R-VA]	Rep. Jeff Miller [R-FL]	Rep. Walter Jones [R-NC]	Rep. Chris Stewart [R-UT]
Rep. David Roe [R-TN]	Rep. Charles Fleischmann [R-TN]	Rep. Kenny Marchant [R-TX]	Rep. Ed Whitfield [R-KY]
Rep. Mark Meadows [R-NC]	Rep. Tim Huelskamp [R-KS]	Rep. Michael Turner [R-OH]	Rep. Lou Barletta [R-PA]
Rep. Louie Gohmert [R-TX]	Rep. Dan Benishek [R-MI]	Rep. Bob Gibbs [R-OH]	Rep. Randy Forbes [R-VA]
Rep. Sam Johnson [R-TX]	Rep. Bill Posey [R-FL]	Rep. Lynn Jenkins [R-KS]	Rep. Diane Black [R-TN]
Rep. Ryan Zinke [R-MT]	Rep. Rick Allen [R-GA]	Rep. Robert Latta [R-OH]	Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer [R-MO]
Rep. Stephen Fincher [R-TN]	Rep. Sam Graves [R-MO]	Rep. Brian Babin [R-TX]	Rep. Candice Miller [R-MI]
Rep. Lynn Westmoreland [R-GA]	Rep. Harold Rogers [R-KY]	Rep. Keith Rothfus [R-PA]	Rep. Doug Collins [R-GA]
Rep. Richard Nugent [R-FL]	Sen. Marsha Blackburn [R-TN]	Rep. Tom Price [R-GA]	Rep. Vicky Hartzler [R-MO]
Rep. Joe Wilson [R-SC]	Rep. Virginia Foxx [R-NC]	Rep. Rob Bishop [R-UT]	Rep. John Duncan [R-TN]
Rep. Ken Calvert [R-CA]	Rep. John Fleming [R-LA]	Rep. Gus Bilirakis [R-FL]	Rep. Alexander Mooney [R-WV]
Rep. Michael Burgess [R-TX]	Rep. Scott Perry [R-PA]	Rep. Bill Shuster [R-PA]	Rep. Steve Stivers [R-OH]
Rep. Jody Hice [R-GA]	Rep. Randy Weber [R-TX]	Rep. Robert Aderholt [R-AL]	Rep. Michael McCaul [R-TX]
Rep. Barry Loudermilk [R-GA]	Rep. Scott DesJarlais [R-TN]	Rep. Jeff Fortenberry [R-NE]	Rep. Austin Scott [R-GA]
Rep. Dave Brat [R-VA]	Rep. Tim Murphy [R-PA]	Rep. Richard Hudson [R-NC]	Rep. Patrick Tiberi [R-OH]
Rep. Duncan Hunter [R-CA]	Rep. Charles Boustany [R-LA]	Rep. Gregg Harper [R-MS]	Rep. Chris Collins [R-NY]
Rep. Ted Yoho [R-FL]	Rep. Trent Kelly [R-MS]	Rep. John Mica [R-FL]	Sen. Kevin Cramer [R-ND]
Rep. Randy Neugebauer [R-TX]	Rep. Steve Scalise [R-LA]	Rep. Doug LaMalfa [R-CA]	Rep. Darrell Issa [R-CA]
Rep. Robert Pittenger [R-NC]	Rep. Steve Chabot [R-OH]	Rep. Mike Bishop [R-MI]	Rep. Ralph Abraham [R-LA]
Rep. Glenn Grothman [R-WI]	Rep. David Rouzer [R-NC]	Rep. Earl Carter [R-GA]

Date	Chamber	Action
2015-03-16	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.
2015-02-13	House	Referred to House Judiciary
2015-02-13	House	Referred to House Education and the Workforce
2015-02-13	House	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.
2015-02-13	House	Introduced in House

SB678 (Related) 2015-03-09 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/997/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/hr997/BILLS-114hr997ih.pdf