1、Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS Web95-1054 EPWUpdated April 1, 1997English as the Official Language of the UnitedStates: An OverviewSteven R. AlemanEducation and Public Welfare DivisionAndorra BrunoGovernment DivisionCharles V. Da
2、leAmerican Law DivisionSummaryCongressional interest in designating English as the official language of theUnited States has recently increased as a response to a perceived challenge to English asthe common language in America. Consideration of official English proposals raises notonly specific issu
3、es as to design, but also broader issues regarding the direction of socialpolicy. With respect to proposal design, questions raised include whether to amend theconstitution or enact an official English statute, whether to limit application only toofficial government business, and whether to address
4、related areas such as bilingualeducation. Regarding the direction of social policy, questions include the need for anofficial language, whether individual expression would be infringed, and the effect oncultural diversity. This report provides background on contemporary efforts to declareEnglish the
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