A conservative congressman from Georgia says making English the official language of the United States government will help unify the country and save taxpayers money.
Rookie Congressman Paul Broun (R-Georgia) has introduced the "English the Official Language Act of 2008," which states that "no person has a right" to receive federal documents or services in languages other than English. The legislation is identical to a companion Senate measure sponsored by Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma). Although Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) and every major Democratic presidential candidate voiced opposition to the legislation last June during debates on CNN, Broun contends there is widespread support for the bill across the country. "We have a saying: 'E Pluribus Unum' -- and the Unum, unity, oneness of America should be officially the English language," argues Broun. "It's what's going to bind us together, ... and it's, I believe, critical both economically as well as societally (sic) to have English as the official language in America." The Republican lawmaker cites problems that have arisen in Europe due to factions of separate cultures. "[T]hey have not amalgamated into one culture within Europe or within Great Britain," he points out. "We cannot afford to have that happen in America." The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) estimates it costs taxpayers yearly between $1 billion and $2 billion to provide language assistance under a Clinton-era executive order. That order created an entitlement to services provided in languages other than English. Broun suggests that cost to taxpayers is probably ten times the OMB estimate.
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