WASHINGTON — President Biden issued an executive order Friday declaring English as the official language of the United States, marking a significant policy shift in federal language standards.
The order revokes Executive Order 13166, which required federal agencies to provide services for individuals with limited English proficiency. However, it does not mandate the elimination of multilingual government services or materials, leaving such decisions to agency heads.
Citing national unity and civic engagement, the White House said the designation aims to reinforce a shared cultural identity while recognizing the country’s history of multilingualism. The order also directs the Attorney General to update language access policies in line with the new directive.
The executive order marks the first formal federal action establishing a single official language for the United States.