H.Res. 1148

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1148 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 1148

Expressing support for the recognition of April as ``National Language 
Access Month''.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 30, 2026

Ms. Chu (for herself, Ms. Meng, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Thompson of 
California, Ms. Barragan, Ms. Norton, Mr. Min, Ms. Dean of 
Pennsylvania, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mr. Lieu, Mr. 
Thanedar, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Vargas, and Ms. Tlaib) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education 
and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

RESOLUTION

Expressing support for the recognition of April as ``National Language 
Access Month''.

Whereas over 71,000,000 individuals ages 5 and older in the United States speak 
a language other than English at home;
Whereas over 25,700,000 individuals in the United States have limited English 
proficiency (LEP) and rely on translation and interpretation services to 
access vital public services and institutions;
Whereas studies show that 47 percent of all immigrant adults in the United 
States have LEP;
Whereas, according to a 2017-2021 Bureau of the Census estimate, at least 500 
individual languages and language groups were spoken in the United 
States;
Whereas about 30 percent of Asian-American adults, 12 percent of Native Hawaiian 
and Pacific Islander adults, 32 percent of Hispanic adults, 3 percent of 
Black adults, and 1 percent of White adults reported having LEP;
Whereas nearly 9 percent of the United States population are individuals with 
LEP, with some States and territories having even higher rates 
including--

(1) 54 percent of residents in American Samoa;

(2) 20 percent of residents in California;

(3) 14 percent of residents in Texas;

(4) 12 percent of residents in New York;

(5) 12 percent of residents in Florida; and

(6) 9 percent of residents in Puerto Rico;

Whereas the term ``language access'' means the provision of culturally competent 
and effective language services to an individual with LEP designed to 
enhance that individual's access to, understanding of, or benefit from 
the services, activities, and programs;
Whereas uneven coverage and implementation of language access contribute to 
significant disparities for individuals seeking--

(1) employment services;

(2) transportation services;

(3) financial services;

(4) health services;

(5) housing services;

(6) legal services; and

(7) other services;

Whereas 31 percent of immigrants with LEP report that language barriers 
interfere with their ability to access health care services;
Whereas 29 percent of immigrants with LEP report that language barriers affect 
their ability to find or maintain employment;
Whereas 25 percent of immigrants with LEP report difficulty applying for 
government financial assistance for food, housing, or health coverage;
Whereas 22 percent of immigrants with LEP report that language barriers have 
made it difficult to report a crime or seek assistance from law 
enforcement;
Whereas existing legislation protecting language access has served as an 
integral part to accessing federally funded programs and policies for 
all Americans;
Whereas title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.) 
prohibits recipients of Federal funding from discriminating based on 
national origin;
Whereas the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), originally 
the Food Stamp Act of 1964, requires that State agencies utilize 
bilingual personnel and appropriate printed materials when there are a 
large number of low-income households that speak a language other than 
English;
Whereas the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency to 
account for needs of people with LEP in disaster planning and prohibits 
discrimination on the basis of English proficiency in provision of 
assistance;
Whereas section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 
U.S.C. 18116) prohibits discrimination based on nationality and requires 
language assistance in the 15 most common languages for health-related 
programs;
Whereas section 203 of the Voting Rights Act (52 U.S.C. 10503) requires certain 
counties and jurisdictions to provide bilingual voting assistance in 
communities with large numbers of language minorities and LEP citizens;
Whereas, for nearly 25 years, both Republican and Democratic Presidents have 
affirmed the importance of language access through the implementation of 
Executive Order 13166, ``Improving Access to English Services for 
Persons with Limited English Proficiency'', which required Federal 
agencies and grantees to examine the services they provide and provide 
individuals with LEP ``meaningful access'' to agency services;
Whereas the California Department of Education recognizes April as National 
Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month;
Whereas many States and local governments, including the States of New York and 
Hawaii, recognize April as Language Access Month; and
Whereas the purpose of Language Access Month is to increase awareness and 
celebrate the importance of language access to ensure equitable access 
to public services and programs for all Americans, including individuals 
with LEP: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) supports the recognition of ``National Language Access 
Month'';
(2) affirms the importance of meaningful language access in 
ensuring equitable participation in Federal programs and 
services;
(3) encourages Federal agencies, States, local governments, 
and community organizations to promote awareness of language 
access rights and resources; and
(4) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
National Language Access Month with appropriate ceremonies, 
programs, and activities.
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