Category: Official English

1. Making English the Official Language of the United States:

“You attract Latino voters by talking about the importance of immigration in this country. You talk about, as Newt [Gingrich] has talked about for many years, having English as the official language of this country.

 Source:  2012 Republican Primary Debate hosted by CNN, September 12, 2011.

• Cosponsored the Language of Government Act (H.R. 123) in 1991 and 1993.

• Voted FOR an amendment offered by Sen. Jim Inhofe to the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 to declare English as the “national” language of the U.S. and to promote the patriotic integration of prospective U.S. citizens. Roll Call 131, May 18, 2006.

• Voted AGAINST on an amendment offered by Sen. Ken Salazar to the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 that would have strengthened Executive Order 13166 (which provides for unlimited taxpayer-funded foreign language translations) while purporting to honor English as the “common language.” Roll Call 132, May 18, 2006.

ProEnglish Evaluation:

2. Multilingual Ballots:

• The Santorum campaign has notified ProEnglish that Sen. Santorum supports the repeal of bilingual voter ballots.  
  

ProEnglish Evaluation:

3. DREAM Act / Amnesty: (Development, Relief, and Education of Alien Minors*)

*ProEnglish assesses the candidates’ positions on the federally introduced DREAM Act because the legislation would grant legal status to millions of non-English-speaking persons without requiring English proficiency first. ProEnglish also opposes the DREAM Act because it would increase the demand for taxpayer-funded multilingual government services.

“Why should they be given preferential treatment as an illegal in this country?

Source:   2012 GOP Primary Debate hosted by FoxNews, in response to a question about the DREAM Act. September 23, 2011.

ProEnglish Evaluation:

4. Puerto Rican Statehood: (Requiring Puerto Rico to make English its only official language before being admitted as the 51st state and opposing Congress passing legislation that rigs the self-determination process in Puerto Rico).

• Cosponsored the Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2006 (S. 2661) which lacked an English requirement.

"English must be the main language. Other states have more than one language, like Hawaii, but to be a state of the Union, English has to be the main language.

        Source:  El Vocero, March 14, 2012, while visiting Puerto Rico ahead of the GOP presidential primary on March 18th.

ProEnglish Evaluation:

5. English-on-the-job:

6. Multiculturalism/Assimilation:

“Again, my father and grandfather came to this country not speaking a word of English and it was the greatest gift to my father to have to learn English so he could assimilate into our society. We are a ‘melting pot’ not a salad bowl, and we need to continue that tradition.

Source:  2012 Republican Primary Debate hosted by CNN, September 12, 2011.

ProEnglish Evaluation:

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