[nyfoil-l] 5/19: English Only Amendments Pass Senate! Urgent Action Still Needed!

Sat May 20 00:15:38 CDT 2006

English Only Amendments Pass  Senate: Urgent Action Still Needed
Inhofe Amendment could  harm U.S. citizens and immigrants

From: National Immigration Law  Center
May 19, 2006

On Thursday, May 18, as part of the immigration bill (S.2611),  the Senate 
passed an "English-only" amendment offered by Senator James Inhofe  (R-OK), 
which could deny a wide array of services and critical information to  millions of 
people living in the United States who are not fully English  proficient.  
The amendment passed 63-34.  In general, the  amendment makes English the 
"national" language and could undermine efforts  by federal agencies to protect 
health and safety for all residents, citizens as  well as immigrants.  For more 
information on the amendment,  click _here_ 
(http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=127281817&url_num=2&url=http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/or
ganizationsORG/NILC/images/Inhofe.pdf)  for text of the amendment and see 
Asian American Justice  Center’s fact sheet at: 
_http://www.advancingequality.org/files/inhofe.pdf_ 
(http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=127281817&url_num=3&url=http://www.advancingequality.org/files/inhofe.pdf) 
The Senate also passed the Salazar amendment yesterday (58-39), which  was 
intended to mitigate the harm of the Inhofe amendment.  Click _here_ 
(http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=127281817&url_num=4&url=http://www.dem
ocracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/NILC/images/Salazar.pdf)  for text of 
amendment.   It is  still unclear how the Salazar and Inhofe amendments might 
be  reconciled.    
IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED 
On top of the bad news that the Inhofe amendment passed, it  appears that the 
Senators who tried to defeat the Inhofe “English Only”  amendment are 
receiving negative calls and criticism from their constituents and  the local press 
for their “no” vote.  
It is IMPERATIVE that the Senators who tried to defeat the Inhofe amendment  
hear from you IMMEDIATELY. You can let them know that:  
    *   They did right by all who live in the United States.  
    *   Their vote protects the rights of all to communicate with their  
government.   
    *   Their vote was critical to keep the United States strong and  
growing.  Linguistic diversity is critical in a global economy and  is essential in 
fostering democracy.
Please alert your friends, networks, family members and their  friends to:1)  
    Call the Senators listed below and thank them for their vote  against the 
Inhofe amendment.  
Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 to reach your U.S.  Senator.  
Feel free to call them more than once – call them each day next  week!  

2)      Write a letter or e-mail to thank the Senators listed below for  
their vote.
To get your Senator's contact information go to: 
_http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm_ 
(http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=127281817&url_num=5&url=http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_in
formation/senators_cfm.cfm)  
3)      Write a letter and get others to write letters to the local press  
showing support of your Senator’s “no” vote on the Inhofe amendment.  

Senators who  voted AGAINST the Inhofe amendment   (34)
Akaka (D-HI)
Bayh (D-IN)
Biden  (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Clinton  (D-NY)
Dayton (D-MN)
Dodd (D-CT)
Domenici  (R-NM)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)  
Feinstein (D-CA)
Harkin  (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry  (D-MA)
Kohl (D-WI)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin  (D-MI)
Lieberman (D-CT)
Menendez (D-NJ)  
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray  (D-WA)
Obama (D-IL)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Salazar  (D-CO)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Schumer (D-NY)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Wyden  (D-OR)
Did not Vote  (3)

Bunning  (R-KY)
Martinez (R-FL)
Rockefeller  (D-WV)

If these Senators do not hear strong SUPPORT for their  vote AGAINST the 
Inhofe amendment NOW, there is a risk that other “English  only” measures could 
pass and that other critical work that still needs to be  done on the 
immigration bill could be jeopardized.  
As one advocate put it, "These are indeed ugly times, but they will get much  
uglier if people don't speak out, or possibly scream out, immediately!!" 
To get up-to-date information on the English only bills, sign up for Asian  
American Justice Center (AAJC)’s Action Alerts at:  
_http://www.advancingequality.org_ (http://www.advancingequality.org/)  

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