The very name itself. "United" States implies a nation sewn together by common threads of history. culture. customs. and government. The English language is one of these strong threads. Michael Mower. one of my legislative assistants. worked as a English tutor to Spanishspeaking migrants while on a mission for the Mormon Church in Oregon. He observed that the American dream can turn into a nightmare for people trying to live and survive in this country without knowing English. Mower said: America is viewed as the land of opportunity by these migrants. Not being able to speak the language of their employers leaves them at the mercy of others. English is the great equalizer. It serves as the common link for all. I again state my support for H.R. 4424. 1 only caution that we remember to encourage the use of English to unite us. not divide us along racial or linguistic line. Learning English is a challenge for immigrants. many of whom are trying to adapt to life in a new land. Often it can be a painful process. Another intern of mine. Suhair Khatib. came to this country as a Palestinian refugee. Learning English as a 10yearold was a challenge. Classmates often used to taunt me. telling me that I was a stupid foreigner for not speaking English. "Now youre in America. Learn to speak English." Khatib said they would tell her. Despite the challenges facing them. my interns Suhair Khatib and Min Choi. like millions of other immigrants. learned to speak English. They retained the culture of their native lands while embracing the language of their new home. That is the beauty which comes from our united tongue. English. Immigrants from Korea. Japan. Jordan. and Mexico. yes from around the world. gather in our Nation.
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refugee immigrants Immigrants migrants