English as the Official Language of the US Executive Order

New Executive Order Designates
English as the Official Language of the US

Dear Members,

On March 1, an executive order was signed designating English as the official language of the United States [1], which also revoked Executive Order 13166 [2].

In our commitment to monitor, provide guidance, and disseminate relevant policy developments, the NCIHC is conducting a thorough review of this executive order and its potential implications for healthcare language access. To this end, the Board and Policy Work Group are consulting legal and policy experts to fully understand its scope and impact.

We are committed to providing you with a comprehensive official statement in the coming days and invite our membership to also review the executive order.

We encourage our members to remember that other federal and state laws and regulations concerning language access in healthcare remain in effect and that studies have shown the critical role of language services in achieving positive health outcomes for individuals who prefer to communicate about their health in a language other than English [3].

Thank you for your continued dedication to the NCIHC's mission of promoting and enhancing language access in health care in the United States.

Sincerely,
The NCIHC Board of Directors

[1] http://whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/designating-english-as-the-official-language-of-the-united-states/
[2] https://www.justice.gov/crt/executive-order-13166
[3] Karliner LS, Jacobs EA, Chen AH, Mutha S. Do professional interpreters improve clinical care for patients with limited English proficiency? A systematic review of the literature. Health Serv Res. 2007 Apr;42(2):727-54. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-6773.2006.00629.x. PMID: 17362215; PMCID: PMC1955368.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE EXECUTIVE ORDER CAN BE FOUND AT: