Skip to main content
HR 3720 105th Congress House

English for the Children Act

Official title: To repeal the Bilingual Education Act and for certain other purposes.

Introduced: October 9, 1998 See on congress.gov
Education Bilingual educationConsent decreesDepartment of EducationEconomics and Public Finance
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Elementary and secondary educationEnglish languageExecutive reorganizationFederal aid to educationGovernment Operations and PoliticsLawMinorities
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
This bill died when the 105th Congress ended
It never became law before the 105th Congress (1997–1998) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 8, 1998
Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Youth and Families.
Apr 23, 1998
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Apr 23, 1998
Introduced in House
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action May 8, 1998

Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Youth and Families.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

English for the Children Act - Repeals the Bilingual Education Act (BEA).

Terminates the Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs in the Department of Education. Repeals specified provisions of the Department of Education Organization Act relating to such Office.

Directs the Secretary of Education, at the end of a specified transition period, to deposit in the Treasury any funds that have not been awarded or obligated for BEA grants.

Requires completion of the most recent school year that commences after enactment of this Act before a BEA program is terminated. Authorizes the Secretary, during the one year period after such enactment, to assist local educational agencies in the transition of children enrolled in BEA programs to special alternative instructional programs that do not make use of the student's native language.

Declares that this Act shall not: (1) preempt any State law; or (2) be construed as requiring that a State or local educational agency develop, implement, provide, or maintain a program of bilingual education.

Voids any consent decree with either the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare or the Department of Education that requires a State, locality, or local educational agency to develop, implement, provide, or maintain any form of bilingual education.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 2
All 2 Republican 2
R
Aderholt, Robert B.
Alabama · Oct 9, 1998
 R
Calvert, Ken
California · Oct 9, 1998
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 3720: English for the Children Act. 105th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-3720/
MLA
"H.R. 3720: English for the Children Act." 105th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-3720/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 3720, 105th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-3720/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 3720: English for the Children Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-3720/)
Report a problem