ATA Advocacy at Work: An Update from the Advocacy Committee

ATA works to protect human expertise against indiscriminate technology implementation and defend the rights of language professionals.

For translators, interpreters, and language services providers, ATA’s Advocacy Committee has focused heavily on protecting human expertise against indiscriminate technology implementation and defending the rights of language professionals.

The following are some of the initiatives at the center of our focus.

Defeating the AI Courtroom Bill (Wisconsin AB 377)

ATA led a massive grassroots and legislative push against Wisconsin Assembly Bill 377, which proposed allowing AI-powered tools to replace court-certified human interpreters. ATA leadership and local members testified directly before the Senate Committee on Government Operations. Thanks to these coordinated efforts, the bill officially failed to pass the Senate on March 19.

Rapid Response for Detained Professionals

In April and May, ATA mobilized a major national campaign alongside other prominent language organizations following the federal immigration detention of professional interpreter Meenu Batra. The Association issued urgent calls to action, directly resulting in her release from ICE custody in early May.

Federal Language Access Tracking

ATA has continued extensive tracking and advocacy around language access legislation, establishing clear policy boundaries stating that while technology can support the profession, it must be integrated responsibly without compromising justice, medical accuracy, or human expertise.

ALC on the Hill 2026

ATA participated in ALC on the Hill 2026, a pivotal legislative advocacy event held on March 26, 2026, organized by the Association of Language Companies (ALC). This was an online event that brought together language services providers and professionals to engage directly with U.S. Congressional and Senatorial offices.

The 2026 agenda centered on legislative efforts to safeguard the T&I professions and ensure equitable access for limited-English-proficient (LEP) individuals.

Key priorities included:

Federal Language Access Policy

Direct promotion of the Language Access for All Act of 2026, aimed at standardizing and mandating quality language services across federal agencies.

Worker Classification

Engaging lawmakers on the complexities of independent contractor status within the language industry, particularly in the context of evolving labor regulations (such as Department of Labor guidelines).

Professional Standards

Advocating for the integration of human, qualified professional interpreters in government-funded programs to replace reliance on unvetted, automated AI solutions.

Industry Recognition

Educating Congressional offices on the essential role language companies play in healthcare, legal proceedings, and national emergency response.

Language Access Board Act of 2026

Perhaps the most important piece of legislation that ATA’s Advocacy Committee has been supporting jointly with ALC, the American Association of Interpreters and Translators in Education (AAITE), National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT), Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI), and the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care (NCIHC) is the Language Access Board Act of 2026 (H.R.8604), a pivotal piece of legislation introduced by Representative Judy Chu and Senator Alex Padilla. It was created as a direct response to Executive Order 14224 (March 2025), which declared English the official language of the U.S. and rolled back 25 years of federal language access mandates.

H.R.8604 seeks to ensure that the 25 million people in the U.S. with limited English proficiency can access federal services like disaster alerts, tax filing, and healthcare, regardless of the language they speak.

Here’s what the bill means for our members:

• H.R.8604 requires federal agencies to use qualified interpreters and translators for all mission-critical and vital public materials. It emphasizes the use of professionals over bilingual volunteers for all mission-critical and vital public materials.
• The Language Access Board is tasked with defining exactly what “qualified” means, which likely aligns with certifications from organizations like ATA or NAJIT.
• While H.R.8604 acknowledges the role of evolving technology, it specifically protects the role of human experts, prohibiting federal agencies from fully replacing human linguists with AI. Likewise, any document considered vital or public-facing must undergo a mandatory review by a qualified human professional.
• Currently, language access varies wildly from one agency (like the IRS) to another (like FEMA). H.R.8604 creates a centralized set of standards with uniform plans and technical integration. 

Watch for Updates

We ask our members to watch for an action alert on any of our initiatives. ATA will post what the next steps are and what action is needed from our members. Visit ATA’s Advocacy and Outreach page to learn about all the committee’s efforts.