Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) today reintroduced the National Foreign Language Coordination Act, with Senators Thad Cochran (R-Mississippi), Christopher J. Dodd (D-Connecticut), and Richard Durbin (D-Illinois) as cosponsors.  The bill would create a National Foreign Language Coordination Council, directed by a National Language Advisor appointed by the President, to develop and oversee the implementation of a foreign language strategy.  

"The United States lags far behind much of the world in foreign language proficiency," Senator Akaka said, noting that the 2000 Census found only 9.3 percent of all Americans speak both their native languages and another language fluently, compared with 56 percent of people in the European Union.

"After 9/11, the U.S. put out an emergency call for linguists to translate intelligence and communicate with officials from around the world.  We must not wait for the next emergency to get more translators on board.  We are at risk without enough foreign language speakers working for us.  More American law enforcement officers, teachers, experts, diplomats, and business people with the ability to communicate in other languages will help our national security, economy and overall stability."

The proposed National Foreign Language Coordination Council, chaired by the National Language Advisor, would identify crucial priorities, increase public awareness of the need for foreign language skills, advocate maximum use of resources, coordinate cross-sector efforts, and monitor the foreign language activities of the federal government.

The genesis of this legislation is a report entitled, A Call to Action for National Foreign Language Capabilities, issued by the National Language Conference held in June 2004 under the auspices of the Department of Defense, and attended by government, industry, academia, education, and language association representatives.

The establishment of a National Language Advisor and the creation of a National Foreign Language Coordination Council will ensure that the key recommendations of the conference will be implemented, which include:

• Developing policies and programs that build the nation's language and cultural understanding capability in the public and private sectors;
• Engaging federal, state, and local agencies and the private sector in solutions;
• Identifying and increasing education of languages and cultures;
• Strengthening educational programs and tools in foreign languages and cultures, and
• Integrating language training into career fields and increasing the number of language professionals. 

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