Ernest Istook: “I support this amendment. Congress should not dictate that American ballots must be printed in multiple languages. Over…”

“I support this amendment. Congress should not dictate that American ballots must be printed in multiple languages. Over 30 States, including Oklahoma, are now required by Congress to print bilingual or multilingual ballots in at least some parts of those States. In Oklahoma, it is required in Marmon County and Texas County. I have a sample of the ballots that will be used there on July 25, and this is for State and local races, not Federal elections. The candidates for county commissioner will be surprised that they have been relabeled as candidates for ``comisionario del condado.'' Instead of this confusion, we need the unifying force of an official language, English, which is the language of success in America. To become an American citizen, we require people to read, write and speak in English. That is to help them to assimilate in our melting pot, truly to become Americans. We mock that when the cherished right to vote does not involve English any more. My father was the son of immigrants, and he grew up bilingual, but English is what my father taught me and what he spoke to me. America's strength is not our diversity; it is our ability to unite around common principles even when we come from different backgrounds. We have too many laws that undercut our unity. Today we can fix one of those laws, and we should. Please join me in doing what the American people want and expect us to do.…”