A national movement is afoot to revitalize the hundreds of native languages that once flourished across North America and the Hawaiian islands. Experts say that because the majority of native language speakers are passing away, almost all of these languages could be gone by 2050. While universities have been a reservoir for the study and research of native languages, much of the current movement revolves around the immersion programs now available in many native schools and communities. The idea behind the schools is to teach native language to children at an early age so that it is incorporated into their daily speech and--where feasible--their school instruction. Bills that would fund these schools and programs are being considered by the U.S. Congress. The House of Representatives, for example, passed House Bill 4766, sponsored by U.S. Representative Heather A. Wilson, R-New Mexico, in September. These programs are considered necessary, according to one advocate, because "when [a] language dies, so do the people, because along with it go all your stories and history."