Winston Churchill once said `the gift of a common language is a priceless inheritance.' According to a USA Today poll taken in 1993, 97 percent of the American population agreed with Winston Churchill and supported making English the official language of Government. A more recent study found that 86 percent of Americans and 81 percent of immigrants want to make English the official language.

Now some of my colleagues have claimed that this bill preys upon linguistic minorities in this country, reminding us that Alexis de Tocqueville warned that the danger of democracy was that a majority could exercise tyranny over a minority. While I acknowledge that this is a serious concern, I would also remind my colleagues that before de Toqueville gave this warning he also stated that `the tie of language is, perhaps the strongest and the most durable that can unite mankind.' Promoting this tie of language is not an attack on minorities, nor is it an act of self-preservation but it is a ramp to expanded opportunity and freedom for all Americans.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, it must be understood why this bill goes farther than just declaring English to be the official language of government. Yes, it does repeal the bilingual ballot requirement, yes it does require the Federal Government to conduct its written business in English and yes it does require the INS to hold its naturalization ceremonies in English. Do you know why? It is because America is composed of people who have for centuries pulled themselves up by their bootstraps with courage and a vision to pursue the opportunity that America has to offer. All of us at one time or another were immigrants. Our forefathers came here for the same reasons immigrants now come ashore.

America is the land of opportunity and if the Government does not remove the impediments to assuring that these immigrants receive the keys to opportunity here, then I am afraid they will remain in what the New York Times called a bilingual prison. Bilingual ballots, and INS ceremonies and Government documents in other languages continue to uphold the untruth that you can live in America, you can have access to opportunity and you can achieve the American dream without being able to speak English. The Government can no longer mislead the citizenry.

Mr. Speaker, I will close with the observation that 23 States have established English as their official language, 80 countries only print government documents in one language, 323 different languages are currently spoken in the United States, a knowledge of English has been a requirement of U.S. citizenship since 1811, and the bill before us today is supported by the American Legion, the VFW, the Catholic War Veterans, the National Grange, the General Federation of Women's Clubs and many others.

This is a document of opportunity, a vision of unity and a compassionate measure. It deserves America's strongest support.

[Page: H9732]

[TIME: 1145]

Mr. BEILENSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Florida [Ms. Ros-Lehtinen].

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, as a public servant and educator, and a mother, I think it would be a great disservice to our children to make English the official language of the land, not only because of the domestic and international ramifications that it would have, but more so for the future of our children. It is time that as Americans we understand what educators throughout the world already seem to know, that proficiency in many languages ultimately results in increased understanding of others, awareness of other cultures and traditions, and ultimately improvements in our Nation's prosperity and welfare. Today, as a nation, we stand together joined by English as our primary language, and we hold hands as a nation, where our acceptance of diversity has given us greatness.

Chief Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren once said, `We are now at the point where we must decide whether we are to honor the concept of a plural society which gains strength through diversity, or whether we are to have bitter fragmentation that will result in perpetual tension and strife.'