JD Vance bill would make English the official language of the United States

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Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, is introducing a bill on Thursday that if passed would establish English as the official language of the United States.

"The English language has been a cornerstone of American culture for over 250 years," Vance said. "It is far past time for Congress to codify its place into law, which is exactly what this bill does."

While English is the most commonly spoken language in the United States, the country is one of a handful that do not have a national language. 

Vance’s English Language Unity Act, co-sponsored by Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-S.D., would fill that hole and require most official government business to be conducted in English. For people on the pathway to citizenship, it would introduce a universal language testing standard. 

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Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, attends the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing titled Strengthening Airline Operations and Consumer Protections in Russell Building on Thursday, February 9, 2023.  (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

"This commonsense legislation recognizes an inherent truth: English is the language of this country. That is why the overwhelming majority of the American people support this proposal," Vance said.

The House version of the bill was introduced by Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., late last week. 

The number of people who speak more than one language aside from English at home has nearly tripled since 1980, according to U.S. census data. The vast majority of those who speak another language have reported speaking Spanish, while French – including French Creole and Haitian French – comes at a distant second. 

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Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., speaks during the Freedom Caucus news conference on the debt limit in the Capitol on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

A Rasmussen poll from last year found that 78% of American adults believe English should be the official language of the country, according to a press release from Vance’s office.

The Ohio freshman’s introduction of the English Language Unity Act is the latest iteration of a bill that Republicans have been trying to pass for decades. 

The first time the legislation was introduced under that name was in 2003 by former Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa. It had 108 cosponsors in the House, including six Democrats. It ultimately did not receive a vote.

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FILE - In this Aug. 23, 2019, file photo, former Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, speaks during a news conference in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

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Critics of the effort have called it xenophobic and claim it demeans non-English speakers. But Good, in his introduction of the bill’s latest version last week, called the legislation "common-sense."

"In the melting pot of the United States of America, our common English language promotes unity and fosters cultural integration," Good said. "The English Language Unity Act is a common-sense measure that will strengthen America…It is also in the best interests of our legal immigrants, as proficiency in English helps them assimilate into our culture, succeed in the workplace, and reach their greatest potential."