Graves Introduces Bill Helping Make English the Official Language of the U.S.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Sam Graves today introduced a bill that will strengthen the case to make English the official language of the United States. Graves' bill, the Cost of Services and Translations (COST) Act, will require all federal agencies to report the amount they spend providing services in languages other than English.

"America is a collection of people from different races, religions, and backgrounds – that is part of what makes us great," Rep. Graves said. "But a common language is what brings all of those people together to form a community."

"Despite overwhelming support for the United States to adopt English as its official language, we have still not taken that important step," Rep. Graves continued. "My bill will strengthen the case to make English our official language and will save the federal government millions of dollars every year."

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Federal agencies are currently not required to calculate the costs of providing services in languages other than English. The COST Act would bring to light the actual expense of providing services in multiple languages, giving taxpayers greater insight into how their dollars are being spent by the federal government each year.

More than 90 percent of countries have an official language, while 31 have adopted English as their sole official language. Public opinion has consistently shown that a majority of Americans support making English the official language of the United States.

Under Obamacare, U.S. call centers are required to provide assistance in 150 different languages, while an Office of Management and Budget report projected that $300 million is spent providing non-English translations in doctor's offices and hospitals across the country.

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