[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 20]
[House]
[Pages 28665-28666]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                FLAG CONTROVERSY AT NATIONAL CEMETERIES

  (Mr. POE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)

[[Page 28666]]


  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, when a veteran is buried in one of our national 
cemeteries, the flag draped over the warrior's coffin is neatly folded 
and given to the warrior's family. As the flag is folded, a statement 
is made as to what each fold represents. Two of the folds refer to Jews 
and Christians in our military. But that ceremony has been sabotaged by 
the National Cemetery Administration. Some bureaucrat banned the 
recitation of the meaning of the folds in the flag at all national 
cemeteries because someone complained about the ceremony being 
religious.
  To ban this time-honored tradition which recognizes life, gives 
tribute to our country and to our Armed Forces, honors women, 
recognizes fathers, and reminds us of our national motto ``In God We 
Trust'' is un-American and, frankly, it's stupid.
  I've been to funerals at national cemeteries of fallen troops from my 
district. I've heard the recitation of the meaning of each fold. I've 
watched tearful mothers and fathers and spouses hold that flag next to 
their chest, grateful for every fold.
  The Washington bureaucrat that issued this absurd ruling should 
withdraw the ban. It's unpatriotic, irreverent and disrespectful of our 
war dead.
  And that's just the way it is.

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