|
119th CONGRESS
1st Session |
Supporting the goals and ideals of “National Poppy Day”.
Mr. Carson (for himself, Mr. Bergman, Mr. Mrvan, Mr. Moylan, Mr. Fleischmann, Ms. Sherrill, Ms. Titus, Ms. Tenney, Ms. Sewell, Mr. Cleaver, Ms. Brownley, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, and Mr. Tiffany) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services
Supporting the goals and ideals of “National Poppy Day”.
Whereas poppies are worn and displayed as a symbolic tribute to fallen and future veterans and members of the Armed Forces;
Whereas the use of the poppy symbolically comes from the poem “In Flanders Fields”, which movingly begins, “In Flanders Fields the poppies blow, between the crosses, row on row”, referring to the poppies that sprang up in the battlefields and newly dug soldiers’ graves in parts of Belgium and France during World War I;
Whereas John McCrae’s poem inspired Moina Belle Michael of Athens, Georgia, to write her own poem entitled “We Shall Keep the Faith”, in which she promised to wear a red poppy to memorialize American soldiers killed in World War I;
Whereas the American Legion family and the Veterans of Foreign Wars adopted the poppy as a symbol of freedom and the blood shed by those who have served in the United States Armed Forces;
Whereas the red poppy has been worn in the United States for more than 80 years as a way to remember those individuals who died fighting for freedom and democracy around the world and to raise money to help disabled veterans;
Whereas the poppy is worn throughout the world to commemorate members of the Armed Forces who have died in the line of duty, as part of Remembrance Day, Armistice Day, or Poppy Day ceremonies;
Whereas, as the United States commemorates yearly the lives of Americans who gave the ultimate sacrifice of their lives on Memorial Day, it is fitting to attach the symbolic meaning of the poppy and formally recognize its historic symbolism;
Whereas wearing a poppy can unite citizens from across the country who wish to show their patriotism and appreciation for those who serve as members of the United States Armed Forces; and
Whereas the Friday before each Memorial Day is an appropriate day to recognize as “National Poppy Day”: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) supports the goals and ideals of “National Poppy Day”;
(2) honors past and current members of the Armed Forces of the United States and their families; and
(3) encourages all citizens, residents, and visitors of the United States to join in observing “National Poppy Day” by wearing a red poppy the Friday before Memorial Day as a sign of admiration and thanks to those individuals who died to preserve freedom.