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HRES 149
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Supporting the goals and ideals of International Mother Language Day in bringing attention to the importance of preserving linguistic and cultural heritage through education.

Supporting the goals and ideals of International Mother Language Day in bringing attention to the importance of preserving linguistic and cultural heritage through education.

Introduced Feb 21, 2025

Latest action (Feb 21, 2025) Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Referred to
Oversight and Government Reform Committee
Policy area
Arts, Culture, Religion
Issues
Education

Summary

This resolution supports the goals and ideals of International Mother Language Day, an annual United Nations observance established to promote linguistic diversity and multilingualism. The resolution notes that February 21 was chosen to commemorate the 1952 deaths of students in Bangladesh who protested for recognition of Bengali as a national language. It highlights the importance of preserving linguistic and cultural heritage, noting that approximately 6,000 of the world's 8,000 languages are endangered, and that many Native North American languages are extinct or critically endangered. The resolution encourages people in the United States to observe International Mother Language Day with appropriate ceremonies, programs, and activities.

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.

Sponsor (1)
5 cosponsors

Actions (2)
  1. Feb 21, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. · house
  2. Feb 21, 2025 Submitted in House

Similar bills (6)

Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.

  • HRES 1273 — Honoring mothers, and recognizing the significance of motherhood and the impact mothers have on raising the next generation, on the occasion of Mother's Day. · Introduced May 11, 2026 · Cong. 119 61%
  • HRES 402 — Honoring mothers, and recognizing the significance of motherhood and the impact mothers have on raising the next generation, on the occasion of Mother's Day. · Introduced May 8, 2025 · Cong. 119 60%
  • HRES 838 — Commemorating the annual celebration of Día de los Muertos in the United States and around the world. · Introduced Oct 28, 2025 · Cong. 119 59%
  • HRES 280 — Supporting the goals and ideals of National Women's History Month. · Introduced Mar 31, 2025 · Cong. 119 56%
  • HRES 384 — Recognizing the cultural and historical significance of the Cinco de Mayo holiday. · Introduced May 5, 2025 · Cong. 119 56%
  • HRES 41 — Expressing support for the designation of the month of January, as "Tamil Language and Heritage Month". · Introduced Jan 14, 2025 · Cong. 119 55%

Full text

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 21, 2025

Ms. Meng (for herself, Mr. Vargas, Mr. McGovern, Ms. Norton, and Ms. Titus) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

RESOLUTION

Supporting the goals and ideals of International Mother Language Day in bringing attention to the importance of preserving linguistic and cultural heritage through education.

Whereas the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) established International Mother Language Day on November 17, 1999, to promote linguistic diversity and multilingualism; Whereas the annual International Mother Language Day celebration date, February 21, was chosen to commemorate the day in 1952 in Bangladesh when students died demonstrating for recognition of Bengali as a national language of Pakistan; Whereas UNESCO establishes a different theme for the annual celebration of International Mother Language Day each year, promoting various aspects of linguistic education; Whereas 2025 marks the 25th anniversary of International Mother Language Day, reaffirming the importance of linguistic diversity and multilingualism in fostering dignity, peace, and understanding; Whereas, according to the UNESCO Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, of the over 8,000 existing languages in the world, approximately 1,181 languages are not in use, and approximately 6,000 languages are classified as “endangered” with the potential to disappear within a few generations; Whereas the United States Census Bureau has identified over 350 languages spoken in the United States, at least 160 of which are distinct Native North American languages; Whereas according to the UNESCO Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, 280 Native North American languages were spoken in the continental United States when the Europeans arrived and more than 115 are already extinct, with many more critically endangered; and Whereas the United States enjoys a rich and diverse cultural heritage and preserving existing languages is an essential piece to preserving this heritage: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) supports the goals and ideals of International Mother Language Day; and

(2) encourages the people of the United States to observe International Mother Language Day with appropriate ceremonies, programs, and activities. <all>

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