On the recordAugust 1, 1996
one of my great frustrations is that over the years I have felt that those of us who live in southern California indeed should learn and read and write and speak Spanish. Unfortunately, we have not accomplished that. Nonetheless, it was 40 years ago that I first got to know a gentleman who knows more about language than anybody I know in public affairs. A professor by the name of S.I. Hayakawa, an expert in general semantics talked of the importance of language as a unifier of people. Years later the then Senator `Sam' Hayakawa sponsored legislation similar to that before us today. The first Member of the House to bring this matter to my attention, our friend Bill Emerson, gave the highest priority to English serving to unify us by its designation as the country's official language. I urge you to support H.R. 123, and as you do so, keep in memory our colleague and friend, Bill Emerson.
Source
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