# 2026-22966: Justice Department Seeks Input on English-as-Official-Language Plan

2026-22966, Attorney General Memorandum on Implementing English as the Official Language; Request for Information, is a Federal Register notice from Justice Department published 2026-11-12, effective Electronic comments must be submitted on or before January 11, 2027.; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22966
- As of: 2026-11-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-22966
- Title: Attorney General Memorandum on Implementing English as the Official Language; Request for Information
- Type: Notice
- Agencies: Justice Department
- Citation: 91 FR 72923
- Published: 2026-11-12
- Effective: Electronic comments must be submitted on or before January 11, 2027.
- Comments close: 2027-01-11
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-11-12

## In one line

Justice Department Seeks Input on English-as-Official-Language Plan

## Summary

The Department of Justice is rolling out a plan to make English the official language of the U.S., following a presidential order. This affects all federal agencies, which will now focus on using English officially. The public can share their thoughts by January 11, 2027, and no big costs are expected right now.

## Abstract

This notice announces the Department of Justice's ("Department") issuance of a memorandum titled "Guidance on Implementing English as the Official Language," consistent with Executive Order 14224, titled Designating English as the Official Language of the United States. The Department invites public comments on the memorandum.

## Effects PRIA read

- Federal agencies will operate in English: cost, high. The Department of Justice says English is now the official U.S. language and directs agencies to prioritize using English alone for official correspondence, regulations, public notices, forms, websites, outreach, internal communications, and "super intelligence tools." This guidance was published i…
- Multilingual help kept for critical functions: benefit, high. The memorandum says agencies must still provide multilingual assistance when it is legally required (for example by the Constitution, federal statutes, binding court orders or regulations, or international obligations) or when it is necessary to accomplish the agency's mission. The memo lists missi…
- Prior language-access rules rescinded: cost, high. The memorandum confirms that Executive Order 13166 (which previously directed agencies to enhance access for persons with limited English proficiency) was rescinded by E.O. 14224; agencies reported that many have discontinued or are in the process of discontinuing language-assistance measures and L…
- English versions are the authoritative text: cost, medium. When agencies do provide multilingual assistance, the memorandum states the English language version of any agency communication "shall constitute the official and authoritative version" unless another law requires otherwise. Agencies must provide translations only to the extent legally required or…
- Agencies encouraged to use machine translation tech: benefit, low. The memorandum encourages agencies to consider cost-effective technological tools, including "superintelligence and machine translation," and notes the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Homeland Security are evaluating such programs to communicate with people who have limited Englis…

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## Sources
- [2026-22966 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/11/12/2026-22966/attorney-general-memorandum-on-implementing-english-as-the-official-language-request-for-information)
- [2026-22966 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-11-12/pdf/2026-22966.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-22965, Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request;…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22965)
- [Next: 2026-22967, Notice of Receipt of Complaint; Solicitation of Comments Relating to the Public…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22967)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22966 (as of 2026-11-12).