Reps. Chu, Meng, Espaillat, and Senator Padilla Introduce Resolution Recognizing April as “National Language Access Month”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Chair Emerita of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), CAPAC Chair Grace Meng (NY-06), and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) introduced a House resolutionrecognizing April as "National Language Access Month". Senator Alex Padilla (CA) is leading the Senate companion.

Language access is essential to ensuring that all individuals, regardless of English proficiency, can fully participate in and access public services and civic life. Over 25.7 million individuals in the United States have limited English proficiency (LEP) and over 71 million individuals in the United States speak a language other than English at home. Several state and local governments including Hawai`i and New York already recognize April as Language Access Month.

The resolution highlights the importance of meaningful language access in ensuring equitable participation in Federal programs and services and encouraging awareness of language access rights and resources to all communities.

"The diverse languages spoken by our communities is something to celebrate, not punish or exclude. I am proud to lead this resolution declaring April as National Language Access Month to bring attention to the millions of individuals in the U.S. who have LEP and the importance of having language access services," said CAPAC Chair Emerita Judy Chu (CA-28). "I first got my start in public service fighting an ugly, anti-immigrant English-only initiative in my hometown of Monterey Park. As the Trump Administration seeks to destroy language access across the federal government, it is important that we continue this fight and once again overturn these hateful policies."

"Every American, no matter what language they speak, should be able to fully participate in federal programs and services. I am proud to co-lead this resolution recognizing April as National Language Access Month and celebrating the diversity that makes our country stronger and more vibrant. As President Trump eliminates federal translation and interpretation services, CAPAC and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus will continue to stand together to protect language access for individuals with limited English proficiency, including millions in the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community," said Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

"I am proud to co-lead this resolution recognizing National Language Access Month because language access is a civil right, not a privilege. At a time when people are being targeted for how they speak or who they are, we must be clear: discrimination has no place in our democracy," said Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). "The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is demanding the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights investigate these practices and their impact on Latino communities. Language access is about dignity, fairness, and ensuring everyone can fully participate in our economy and our democracy."

"President Trump's efforts to slash funding for English language learners and illegally declare English the national language are an un-American affront to our values and the tens of millions of hardworking Americans and immigrants with limited English proficiency," said Senator Padilla (CA). "This National Language Access Month, we must maintain and improve language tools that help millions of Californians and people across the country access critical federal programs and services like housing support, health care, education, tax assistance, and legal counsel."

This resolution comes in the wake of President Trump's rollback of federal language access provisions with Executive Order (EO) 14224, which seeks to declare English as the official language of the United States and rescinds EO 13166, a decades-long policy that established meaningful language accessibility across federal agencies and funding recipients.

The resolution is cosponsoredby Reps. Barragán, Dean, Lieu, Menendez, Min, Mullin, Holmes Norton, Thanedar, Thompson, Tlaib, Vargas, and Wilson.

The resolution is further endorsed by UnidosUS, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), National Immigration Law Center (NILC), California Center for Civic Participation, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (CAPACD), National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), Thai Community Development Center (Thai CDC), Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), Khmer Community of Seattle-King County, OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA), Asian Pacific Islanders Civic Action Network, Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence, The Sikh Coalition, Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education (APAHE), BCNC, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC), Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), Stop AAPI Hate, South Asian Public Health Association, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL), AREAA, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus, California Healthy Nail Salons Collaborative, South Asian American Justice Collaborative, United Nations and European Union, NAKASEC TX, Missouri Asian American Youth Foundation, Metropolitan Asian Deaf Association, Asian Law Caucus, Hmong National Development, Inc., Hmong American Partnership, Little Tokyo Service Center, Ayuda, Japanese American Citizens League, Century 21 Advantage Gold, Long Island Language Advocates Coalition, Saahas for Cause, Association of Language Companies, Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning, Colorado Interpreters and Translators Association, Colorado Language Connection (Aurora Mental Health & Recovery), Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote), Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters, NAJIT, South Asian Network, and SAAVETX EF.