AAJC Applauds Introduction of Strengthen and Unite Communities with Civics Education and English Skills Act of 2009 

Washington, D.C. – The Asian American Justice Center (AAJC) commends Congressman Mike Honda for introducing the Strengthen and Unite Communities with Civics Education and English Skills Act of 2009. The bill would provide much-needed assistance to populations that are limited English proficient (LEP), allowing these vulnerable community members to learn English, integrate more quickly and fully into American society and maximize their social and economic contributions to our society.

“This bill is extremely important for the Asian American community,” said Karen K. Narasaki, president and executive director of AAJC. “Nationally, one in three Asian Americans is limited English proficient, and one in four Asian American households is linguistically isolated, meaning that everyone over the age of 14 speaks English less than very well.”

In 2006, AAJC produced the groundbreaking report, Adult Literacy Education in Immigrant Communities: Identifying Policy and Program Priorities for Helping Newcomers Learn English, which can be downloaded at www.advancingequality.org. The report found that, as immigration to the United States has increased, funding for English language learning (ELL) classes has failed to keep pace with the growing demand for those classes.

“The reality is that there are not enough classes and high-quality programs to meet the tremendous need for English language programs,” said Pang Houa Moua, director of community education and outreach at AAJC. “We need to remove these barriers so that Asian Americans and other immigrant families can receive the language and skills training they need.”

The bill provides community-based solutions that will accelerate the integration of newcomers through increasing resources for English language acquisition, civics and basic education programs. The Bill also expands the capacity of schools and communities to respond to the demands of English language learners by ensuring adequate funding for schools and providing vital technical assistance to state and local communities. It also provides incentives to employers who provide Adult ELL in the workplace, and would require the Office of Citizenship and Immigrant Integration in the Department of Homeland Security to further the integration of immigrants into their communities.

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