Jim Inhofe

Mr. INHOFE

Mr. INHOFE. Yes, that was changed. It was actually written up--they wrote the word ``national'' in the wrong place. It is, ``Declaration of national language.''

Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I think it is very appropriate the Senator asks that question. We have had a chance to discuss that at some length with a large number of people, and I have stood pretty fast to my belief. Now, keep in mind I am one of the few people around here who is not a lawyer, and therefore sometimes that puts me in a better position to understand the law than some of my lawyer friends. But I would say that when we write down, ``unless otherwise authorized or provided by law, no person has a right, entitlement, claim,'' et cetera, in the bill, which is the form of the bill that you have seen and that we have all been working on, so my feeling is that language takes care of any problem within the existing law that is on the books.

Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, the next amendment coming up will be the amendment we refer to as the English national language amendment. Since there is some time right now, unless someone else wants the floor, I can discuss what it is all about.

Mr. INHOFE. I inquire, is someone requesting time?

Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President.

Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, we are now going to the Inhofe amendment No. 4064. It is my understanding that we have between now and 4:15, with the time equally divided on my amendment and an alternative amendment that is proposed by Senator Salazar, and I would ask if that is correct.

Mr. INHOFE. I thank the Chair for that clarification. It could very well be, and it is my understanding that some others do have an alternative that they want to have considered. Mr. President, this is an issue that has been with us for a long time. Due to the great history that is very often presented to this Chamber by the occupier of the chair, we went back into history and saw that for hundreds of years we have been trying, many of us, as our forefathers tried, to make English the national language. The last time we had a vote was 1983. In 1983, there was a--I don't remember who the author was at the time, but it was before I even came to the House. But that was 23 years ago. So 23 years it has taken now to get a vote on this issue. Ours is a very simple amendment. It is very straightforward. We have perfected it by adding things that the Senator from Tennessee and the Senator from Arizona and the Senator from Alabama have asked for, and we think as a result of that, we have a bill that is actually better than ours was when it first started.

Mr. INHOFE. I yield.

Mr. INHOFE. I thank the Senator.

Mr. INHOFE. As I understand it, on our side there is 17 minutes remaining, is that correct, and I can use a few minutes?

Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I think it is very obvious what is going on here. It has been 23 years since we have had a chance to vote on it. It probably will be the last time most Members--maybe all of the Members in this Chamber--will have a chance to vote to make English the national language. Those who are offering this amendment today don't want English to be the national language. They use the word ``common,'' the common language. Those opposing this amendment want an entitlement to have the Federal Government provide for language, services, and materials. They can do it now. If you pass this bill, they can still do it. It is just not mandatory. It is not something that can't be done; it doesn't have to be done. They say that national origin equates to language. Their claims are consistently refuted by the Federal Government, the most recent one being in 2001, the Sandoval case. The opponents of this don't want people learning English but instead being served in foreign languages. I think it is interesting that the word ``racist'' was used. I just wish the people here knew what has happened in the past and what I have been involved in in my State of Oklahoma. This is not the time to repeat what I said earlier. But the bottom line is I received the highest award given by the Hispanic community in the city of Tulsa. I started the first Hispanic community commission, and it is now a model for the Nation.

Mr. INHOFE. First of all, I request that the minority leader not use leadership time since he now has 45 more minutes than we have, but that is just a request. I would say this: We have a very short period of time to wind up. I would have to say that all of these ridiculous examples, such as the one the Senator from Illinois just came up with and the flag examples, have nothing to do with this amendment. It might be some other amendment that was referred to. This merely recognizes and declares English to be our national language. We have exceptions for anything that is in there in law or would refer to anything else that is accepted. Mr. President, I would like to ask, how much time do we have remaining?

Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, just one comment.

Mr. INHOFE

Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, May 18, 2006, at 2:30 p.m. to hold a hearing on Nepal: Transition from Crisis to Peaceful Democracy.

Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs' Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, and International Security be authorized to meet on Thursday, May 18, 2006, at 2:30 p.m. for a hearing regarding ``Unobligated Balances: Freeing up Funds, Setting Priorities and Untying Agency Hands.''

Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Aging be authorized to meet May 18, 2006 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. in Dirksen 628 for the purpose of conducting a hearing.

Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 18, 2006 at 9:30 a.m. to hold a confirmation hearing on General Michael V. Hayden to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Thursday, May 18, 2006, at 10 a.m. to consider the nomination of Robert I. Cusick to be Director of the Office of Government Ethics. PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. select committee on intelligence

Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, May 18, 2006, at 9:30 a.m. to hold a hearing on Iran's Political/Nuclear Ambitions and U.S. Policy Options.

Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session on Thursday, May 18, 2006, at 10:30 a.m., in 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building, to consider proposed legislation implementing the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement, and the nomination of W. Ralph Basham, of Virginia, to be Commissioner of Customs, Department of Homeland Security. TE PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Committee on Foreign Relations

Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on Commerce Science and Transportation be authorized to meet on Thursday, May 18, 2006, at 2:30 p.m. for an Executive Session.

Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on Commerce Science and Transportation be authorized to meet on Thursday, May 18, 2006, at 2:30 p.m. for an Executive Session.

Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation be authorized to meet on Thursday, May 18, 2006, at 10 a.m. on S. 2686, the Consumer's Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006.

Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to met during the session of the Senate on Thursday, May 18, 2006, at 9:30 a.m. to mark up S. 1811, the ``San Francisco Old Mint Commemorative Coin Act;'' S. 633, the ``American Veterans Disabled for Life Commemorative Coin Act;'' and S. 2784, the ``Fourteenth Dalai Lama Gold Medal Act.''