Meng, Chu, Goldman and Vargas Introduce Bill to Protect Multilingual Services in the Federal Government

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Chair Emerita Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), and CAPAC members Rep. Dan Goldman (NY-10) and Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51) introduced the Language Access for All Act of 2026 to codify language access requirements for federal agencies, including translation and interpretation services under threat from the Trump administration.

In March 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order (EO) 14224 that declared English as the official language of the United States and revoked EO 13166, a 25-year-old mandate that required agencies and recipients of federal funding to provide meaningful language access to individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP). The Trump administration's Department of Justice issued new guidance that minimizes multilingual services and redirects resources towards English language education and assimilation.

These policy changes threaten language access for the over 25 million individuals in the United States—eight percent of the U.S. population—with limited English proficiency. Asian Americans have among the highest language access needs of any racial group, with 32 percent having LEP. 12 percent of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders also have significant language access needs. And while Spanish language speakers make up the majority of those who speak another language in the United States, nearly 40 percent report speaking English “less than very well” in the most recent U.S. Census.

The Language Access for All Act of 2026 modernizes and strengthens the federal government’s approach to language access by codifying EO 13166 and establishing a coordinated, accountable framework to ensure meaningful access for individuals with limited English proficiency. The legislation promotes consistency across agencies, increases transparency and public engagement, and updates federal language access policy to reflect evolving technologies.

“Every American deserves equal access to federal services and programs in a language they can understand. Language access is essential to ensure individuals are able to access small business loans or receive the right medical care,” said Rep. Grace Meng, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. “I am proud to introduce the Language Access for All Act alongside my colleagues to safeguard translation services for individuals with limited English proficiency, including millions in the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community. We will continue to fight against the Trump administration's attacks on immigrants and the essential services that our communities rely on and deserve.”

“For more than 25 years, both Democratic and Republican presidents have supported language accessibility across the federal government. Trump’s roll back of these protections is simply wrong. In my district, translation services are essential for parents applying for a home loan, seniors accessing Medicare, immigrants starting a small business, and disaster survivors accessing the FEMA’s resources. That is why I’m proud to co-lead the Language Access for All Act to ensure no one is denied health care, housing, or disaster assistance because English is not their first language. Language access is a civil right and rolling back these services is an attack on our immigrant communities,” said Congressmember Judy Chu (CA-28), CAPAC Chair Emerita.

“In my district, in the most linguistically diverse city on earth, language access mandates across the federal government helps ensure that everyone has meaningful access to housing loans, health care, workforce programs, and life-saving emergency alerts. Trump's attempt to roll back language access is just one of his many xenophobic attempts to attack immigrant communities, and it is completely unacceptable. I am proud to be introducing legislation to restore common sense requirements and ensure information about basic government services is made available to all,” said Rep. Dan Goldman.

“For decades, federal language access services have helped millions of people file taxes, get emergency alerts, apply for loans, and access health care. Trump’s decision to designate English as our country’s official language and attempt to scrap these critical services is dead wrong,” said Rep. Juan Vargas. “No one should be locked out of federal programs because of the language they speak. This legislation is critical as we fight to push back on Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda and keep in place the services our communities rely on.”

The Language Access for All Act of 2026:

• Requires federal agencies to ensure that individuals with LEP can meaningfully access the federally conducted programs and activities of the agency, including through translation and interpretation.
• Creates a public complaint system to track complaints regarding barriers to meaningful access at agencies.
• Requires agencies to develop and maintain language access plans consistent with EO 13166, with public notice and comment, and to submit plans to Congress and publish them on LEP.gov.
• Establishes language access technical standards that allow individuals with LEP to access agency content and applies to all agency communications, including AI and automated language assistance services.
• Ensures AI-assisted language services do not replace qualified translators and interpreters, comply with federal privacy requirements, and are continuously tested for bias, discrimination, and errors.
• Creates an interagency language access working group to provide guidance, coordination, and technical assistance.
• Requires each agency to designate a language access coordinator to lead implementation and serve as a point of contact.

Together, these reforms aim to improve service delivery, reduce barriers to access, and ensure federal agencies are equipped to meet the language needs of the public.

This legislation builds on previous actions from CAPAC lawmakers to protect language access.

In April 2025, Members demanded answers from the 15 federal agencies regarding potential disruptions to services and programs for individuals with limited English proficiency, and demanded answers from President Trump and the Department of Justice about the steps the administration is taking to ensure essential translation services continue uninterrupted.

In July 2025, CAPAC leadership issued a joint statement condemning the Department of Justice’s new memorandum that slashes access to multilingual government services.

The Language Access for All Act of 2026 is endorsed by the 53 organizations: AAPI Equity Alliance, AIDS Foundation Chicago, American Translators Association, Americans for Financial Reform, Apicha Community Health Center, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL), Asian American Advocacy Fund, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote), Asian Resources, Inc, Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO), Association of Language Companies, Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, CenterLink, Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI), Chinese for Affirmative Action, Colorado Language Access Coalition, Connecticut Fair Housing Center, Consumer Action, CoSET (Coalition for Sign Language Equity in Technology), East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC), Global Consortium of Nursing and Midwifery Studies, Japanese American Citizens League, Joint National Committee for Languages (JNCL) and the National Council for Languages and International Studies (NCLIS), Justice in Aging, Language Matters, Language Policy & Innovation Institute, Latino Community Fund INC (LCF Georgia), Latino Victory Project, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA), National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF), National CAPACD- National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development, National Consumer Law Center (NCLC), National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), NCAPIP (National Council of Asian Pacific Islander Physicians), National Health Law Program, National Immigration Law Center, North East Medical Services (NEMS), The Praxis Project, Sauti Yetu Center for African Women, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC), Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning, Stakeholders Advocating for Safe and Ethical use of AI in Interpreting Task Force (SAFE-AI TF), Stop AAPI Hate, TESOL International Association, and UnidosUS.

Read the full text of the bill here.