[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 100 (Tuesday, June 17, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H5432-H5435]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF FLAG DAY

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1219) celebrating the symbol of the 
United States flag and supporting the goals and ideals of Flag Day.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1219

       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

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     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, 2008, 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.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend 
their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  As a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform, I present for consideration H. Res. 1219, which celebrates our 
Nation's flag and the goals of Flag Day, a day honoring the America's 
most enduring symbol.
  H. Res. 1219's lead sponsor, Representative Robert Latta of Ohio, 
introduced the bill on May 21, 2008, and it was reported from the 
Oversight Committee on June 12, 2008, by voice vote. This measure has 
the support and sponsorship of 62 Members of Congress and expresses our 
appreciation for and belief in the power of the red, white and blue.
  The importance of the American flag as a symbol to our Nation is 
enormous. Our flag represents the service men and women who proudly 
wear it, the judges and legislators who serve in honor of it, and the 
millions of Americans who stand daily and pledge their allegiance to 
it. It is indeed representative of every American as a symbol of hope 
and freedom that resonates around the world.
  Flag Day is celebrated every June 14, because it was on that day in 
1777 that the Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act, giving 
our Nation an enduring and identifying emblem. The flag has changed 
since then, but the ideas it embodies have endured. From the images of 
the Americans planting the flag in the sands of Iwo Jima, to the flag 
that was pulled from the rubble of the New York World Trade Center 
after the attacks of 9/11, Old Glory has become an integral part of our 
national fabric.
  So, Madam Speaker, I urge swift passage of H. Res. 1219, for it will 
provide due recognition of the importance of the American flag and 
demonstrate our support of the day which honors it.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I too rise in strong support of Flag Day. Since 1777, 
America has in fact invested a great deal of who we are, what we do, 
what is right and what we stand for in our Nation's flag. Whether it 
was the first Flag Day, which emerged in 1885 when a 19-year-old 
schoolteacher in Wisconsin declared the flag's birthday, or in 1889, 
when a kindergarten teacher in New York City held a patriotic ceremony 
to help educate his children, or throughout the years, year after year 
after year, in which America invested its patriotism in the flag, or, 
as the gentleman in the majority said, in fact on September 11, when 
here in Washington and around the world we invested in a patriotic 
showing after the terrible events in New York, here in Washington and 
Pennsylvania, we did so because in fact we are what America stands for. 
Our flag represents that.
  But, today, Madam Speaker, America stands for a country that imports 
half a trillion dollars worth of oil and vast amounts of natural gas. 
America is a country with crushing debt owed to other countries around 
the world. America today is a country proud of itself and proud of its 
flag, but mortgaging our children's future by investing in foreign oil 
and foreign natural gas and foreign minerals at a time in which the 
vast majority of our resources are not being used.
  Madam Speaker, I join with the majority in saying that in fact 
America has to make sure that our natural resources are used, whether 
it is the 68 million acres being called into question by the majority 
as to whether or not oil leases are being pursued, or the 41 million 
acres that do have oil under production, or in fact the 2 billion-plus 
acres, including the area over 50 miles off the California coast that 
has been permanently taken off limits to oil and clean natural gas so 
needed in our country.
  So, as we celebrate this Flag Day and our reinvestment in our flag 
and in who we are as a nation, let's remember who we are is a country 
of self-sufficiency, and self-sufficiency starts with the ability to 
produce our own products and certainly to heat our own homes.
  Madam Speaker, I have no more to say about our flag than what our 
flag says for itself, but I have a great deal to say about who we as 
Americans will be. We will be a country, God willing, that in fact is 
self-sufficient.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve.
  Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta), the author of the bill.
  Mr. LATTA. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to introduce House Resolution 1219, 
celebrating the symbol of the United States and supporting the goals 
and ideals of Flag Day.
  Flag Day is celebrated on June 14, which is the anniversary of the 
official adoption of the American flag by the Continental Congress in 
1777. This was done by the first Flag Act, which stated, ``Resolved, 
That the flag of the United States be made of 13 stripes, alternating 
in red and white, that the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, 
representing a new constellation.''
  Since 1777, our flag's design has been altered three times under 
executive order, rearranging the design of the stars and stripes each 
time a State was added.
  The first celebration of the American flag was believed to have been 
introduced by a Wisconsin schoolteacher, who arranged for his students 
at Stony Hill School to celebrate June 14 as Flag Day in 1885. 
President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first nationwide Flag Day in 
1916, and in 1947, President Harry Truman signed legislation requesting 
National Flag Day be observed annually.
  Flag Day is an important holiday, as our flag is the official symbol 
of our great Nation and its ideals. Our flag serves as a beacon of 
hope, courage and freedom during times of crisis and triumph alike. It 
honors the men and women of the Armed Forces who have

[[Page H5434]]

paid the ultimate sacrifice in defending the United States, and serves 
as a symbol for those families who have lost loved ones while defending 
our Nation.
  So, Madam Speaker, it is with great honor I ask for unanimous 
approval of House Resolution 1219 as we celebrate our Nation's flag.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such 
time as he may consume to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's courtesy 
in permitting me to speak on that. I rise in support of this resolution 
and think that it is appropriate and timely for it to come forward and 
agree with the representation that I have heard from my colleagues.
  As a long-time public radio listener and Chair of the Public 
Broadcasting Caucus, I was proud to sponsor the resolution recognizing 
Public Radio Recognition Month.
  Too often we take for granted the rich and diverse contributions of 
public radio to America's communities, and this was an opportunity on 
the floor of the House to reflect on its contributions and show our 
appreciation for public radio as a genuine national treasure.
  The future of radio depends on programming and content, first and 
foremost, and in the area of high-quality radio content, public radio 
has no peer. Public radio offers an unmatched commitment to using the 
airwaves to create a more informed public, a public that craves and is 
challenged by an examination of ideas, events and culture.
  Each week, over 33 million Americans listen to NPR, an audience that 
exceeds the top 35 U.S. daily newspapers combined. When we consider 
this figure, along with the 100 million people who watch public 
television each week, we can see the profound reach of Public 
Broadcasting. It connects people with their local community, their 
Nation and their world in a way that no other outlet can or does.

                              {time}  1615

  Distinctive, award-winning programs such as This American Life, A 
Prairie Home Companion, and Speaking of Faith tell the story of our 
shared American experience, and the vibrant, enduring programs of 
Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Marketplace draw on 
reporting from correspondents based in bureaus around the world and 
from producers and reporters in 19 locations in the United States.
  But the strength of the NPR and the member station news network goes 
far beyond this corps of international and national NPR reporters; it 
reaches into communities across America. Through community-based 
journalism, such as the Diane Rehm Show right here in Washington, DC on 
WAMU and Think Out Loud on OPB back home in Oregon, we see a dedication 
to bringing people together at the local level for thoughtful 
conversations about complex and sometimes contentious issues.
  These strong, news-oriented programs exist today in most of the top 
markets across the country, and when the strength of these stations is 
combined with NPR's strength in national and international reporting, 
the result is one of the largest, most capable and most trusted news 
network organizations anywhere in the world.
  Public radio reliably provides a careful, balanced and thoughtful 
approach to news and culture. This feature is unique to public 
broadcasting, and it is a breath of fresh air in our often shrill and 
argumentative mass media environment.
  We hear a lot about commercial broadcasting's becoming little more 
than 30-second, sound-bite news. That's one of the reasons I believe 
NPR's audience has grown so significantly in recent years, doubling in 
the last 15 years and increasing by 70 percent in the last decade.
  Americans are thirsty for thoughtful and intelligent programming, and 
at a time when our media is controlled by fewer and fewer entities, we 
can have confidence that public radio which is owned by the public is 
committed to public interests, not to special interests.
  In every congressional district across the country, through over 800 
locally controlled and managed stations, Americans can turn to a public 
radio station as their single source for local, national and 
international news as well as for informative, cultural and musical 
programming.
  There is nowhere else you can find such unique and valued service for 
all of our communities, and I hope that resolution was a reminder that 
we in Congress, as individuals and policymakers, must continue to 
provide critical support for local, publicly owned radio stations, the 
heart of public radio.
  I invite my colleagues to recognize this achievement as they reflect 
on public broadcasting. It's part of the framework that makes the 
country so great and part of why we revere our flag and our Nation.
  Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers at this time, and 
I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. I would continue to reserve, Madam Speaker.
  Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I would yield back.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, we have no additional speakers, 
and I would urge passage of this resolution.
  Mr. SHULER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support H. Res. 1219, 
supporting and honoring the ideals of Flag Day. The American flag 
represents the freedom and democratic ideals of this nation and the 
brave Americans who have defended these ideals throughout our history.
  Established in 1885, Flag Day commemorates the adoption of our flag 
on June 14, 1777. Bernard Cigrand, the Father of Flag Day, was the 
President of the American Flag Day Association and the National Flag 
Day Society. In 1894, he orchestrated a celebration of Flag Day in 
Chicago that brought together over 300,000 public school students. The 
celebration was such a success that it was continued the following 
year. The trend of observing Flag Day caught on and quickly spread to 
New York and Philadelphia. However, it was not until August 3rd, 1949 
that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th 
as National Flag Day.
  Today, we continue to honor Flag Day with a proclamation from the 
President urging U.S. citizens to fly the American flag from their 
homes for the duration of the June 14th week. Also, it is encouraged 
that all government buildings fly the American flag. On the second 
Sunday of June, the National Flag Day Foundation holds an annual 
observance for Flag Day. The program includes a recitation of the 
Pledge of Allegiance, singing of the National Anthem, a ceremonial 
rising of the flag, and a large parade. These types of celebrations 
play an important role in observing one of our nation's most important 
symbols, the American flag.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution to 
support the ideals of Flag Day. May we continue to recognize the symbol 
of our freedom and display our patriotism proudly.
  Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, in 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote of a star-
spangled banner which America ``so proudly hailed . . .'' through a 
night of bomb blasts and rocket-fire. The flag consisted of fifteen 
stripes, alternating red and white, and fifteen white stars on a field 
of blue; it united a brand new Nation under the principles of life, 
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
  In the 194 years since our national anthem was written, we've come a 
long way--Old Glory has acquired 35 more stars, and has become the most 
recognized flag in the world. But its power to unify a nation hasn't 
changed. Our flag has become synonymous with Freedom, Justice, 
Prosperity, and all the principles upon which our great Nation was 
founded.
   On this, the 58th National Flag Day that our nation has celebrated, 
let's fly our flags with reverence in honor of our men and women who 
have given their lives, and for those who continue to fight to defend 
our great Nation.
   For a country whose trust is in God, our flag is a precious reminder 
of how we've gotten here as well as a beacon for which we strive.
   And that's just the way it is.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. I yield back the balance of our time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1219.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

[[Page H5435]]

  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

                          ____________________