[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2880]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   SUPPORT HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 54

  (Mr. GIBBONS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise proudly in support of House 
Joint Resolution 54, to prohibit the desecration of the American flag.
  I want to express my sincere thanks to my colleagues, the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Duke Cunningham) and the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. John Murtha), for reintroducing this tremendously 
important piece of legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, more than one million men and women have sacrificed 
their lives defending this country and the freedom that this flag 
represents, and it would be a great dishonor for all of us now to turn 
our backs on those who gave so much to protect the American flag and 
what it symbolizes. We must fight for them now in protecting the symbol 
of this Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, as a veteran of both the Vietnam and Persian Gulf wars, 
I proudly support this legislation, and I urge every member of this 
great, august body to do the same.

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