[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 420 Engrossed in House (EH)]

H. Res. 420

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                          June 8, 2009.
Whereas Flag Day is celebrated annually on June 14, the anniversary of the 
        official adoption of the American flag by the Continental Congress in 
        1777;
Whereas on June 14, 1777, in order to establish an official flag for the new 
        Nation, the Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act, which 
        stated, ``Resolved, That the flag of the United States be made of 
        thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen 
        stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation'';
Whereas the second Flag Act, signed January 13, 1794, provided for 15 stripes 
        and 15 stars after May 1795;
Whereas the Act of April 4, 1818, which provided for 13 stripes and one star for 
        each State, to be added to the flag on July 4 following the admission of 
        each new State, was signed by President James Monroe;
Whereas in an Executive order dated June 24, 1912, President William Howard Taft 
        established the proportions of the flag and provided for arrangement of 
        the stars in 6 horizontal rows of 8 each, a single point of each star to 
        be upward;
Whereas in an Executive order dated January 3, 1959, President Dwight D. 
        Eisenhower provided for the arrangement of the stars in 9 rows staggered 
        horizontally and 11 rows of stars staggered vertically;
Whereas the first celebration of the American flag is believed to have been 
        introduced by Bernard Cigrand, a Wisconsin school teacher, who arranged 
        for his pupils at Stony Hill School in Waubeka to celebrate June 14 as 
        ``Flag Birthday'' in 1885;
Whereas on June 14, 1894, the Governor of New York ordered that the American 
        flag be displayed at all public buildings in the State, prompting many 
        State and local governments to begin observing Flag Day;
Whereas President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first nationwide Flag Day in 
        1916;
Whereas in 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed legislation requesting 
        National Flag Day be observed annually;
Whereas the United States flag is a symbol of our great Nation and its ideals;
Whereas in times of national crisis, Americans look to the United States flag as 
        a symbol of hope, courage, and freedom;
Whereas the United States flag is universally honored;
Whereas the United States flag honors the men and women of the Armed Forces who 
        have given their life in the defense of the United States;
Whereas the United States flag serves as a treasured symbol of the loss of loved 
        ones to the countless families of those who died in defense of our 
        Nation; and
Whereas June 14, 2009, is recognized as Flag Day: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives celebrates the United States 
flag and supports the goals and ideals of Flag Day.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.