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ARLINGTON, VA - ProEnglish, an Arlington, Va.-based organization that advocates making English the official language at all levels of government praised the decision of Idaho lawmakers to make English the state's official language. The legislation was signed into law by Idaho Governor "Butch" Otter this Wednesday.

ProEnglish Executive Director K.C. McAlpin said, "Idaho's decision to become the 29th state to adopt English as its official language puts even more pressure on Congress to pass legislation at the national level." Two independent national polls in 2006 showed overwhelming public support for making English the official language of the United States at 84 percent and 85 percent respectively.

"Public frustration over this issue is growing," McAlpin declared. "A Zogby poll this December found that by more than 2-1, voters agree that Congress and the president are not doing enough to defend English's historic role as the unifying language of the United States," he added.

"Because of a failure of leadership at the federal level, states like Idaho and cities like Hazleton, Pennsylvania are being forced to take matters into their own hands and pass their own official English laws and ordinances," McAlpin said.

McAlpin called on the President and Congress to act: "There is a lot of talk by lawmakers in Washington D.C. about the need to pass comprehensive immigration reform this year. If those lawmakers are sincere, official English must be part of any reform package," McAlpin added.

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Click here to read about official English in Idaho

[For the status of official-English laws in each state, click here.]