Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is working to make government services accessible in more languages.
Today, Sen. Ossoff led a group of 19 Senators calling on U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to direct Federal agencies to update their Language Access Plans, helping ensure people whose primary language is not English can access critical information and resources in their preferred language.
Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jack Reed (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Ed Markey (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tina Smith (D-MN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) signed on to Sen. Ossoff’s letter.
“Language barriers can impact access to vital services and information related to education, the legal system, health care, housing, and more,” Sen. Ossoff and the group wrote. “We ask that you issue a memorandum directing Federal agencies to update their Language Access Plans to meet the present-day needs.”
These language plans, some of which have not been updated in nearly a decade, would direct agencies to update their websites to include language assistance services and boost the distribution of translated materials.
A recent report found over 67 million households spoke a language other than English at home.
Click here to read the letter.
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