[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 9127]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                FLAG DAY

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise today to commemorate the 96th 
anniversary of Flag Day in the United States and to draw attention to 
its heightened significance in this year, the 200th anniversary of the 
United States' `Second War of Independence,' the War of 1812. Since its 
adoption by the Second Continental Congress in 1777, our flag, with its 
thirteen stripes and fifty stars, has proudly stood as a beacon of 
liberty and justice throughout the world.
  For more than 200 years our flag has stood as a tangible expression 
of our Nation and the lofty ideals it was created to protect. In 1916 
President Woodrow Wilson sought to formally recognize the significant 
cultural and historical legacy that our flag embodies, proclaiming that 
the fourteenth of June should be known as Flag Day as a means of 
commemorating the Flag Resolution of 1777. While Flag Day was 
celebrated in many communities across the country in the years 
following Wilson's proclamation, it was not until 1949 that President 
Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14 of each year as 
National Flag Day and the week on which it falls as National Flag Week.
  My State of Maryland plays a prominent role in the rich and storied 
history of our national Flag. Shortly after the British sack of 
Washington, D.C., the Royal Navy turned its gaze north, moving in force 
towards the strategic port city of Baltimore, MD. Despite the lack of 
formally trained, commissioned soldiers, the citizens of Baltimore 
diligently prepared the city's defenses and steadfastly stood their 
ground against the better equipped and trained forces of the British 
military. Despite their manifold disadvantages, the volunteer militia 
fought valiantly during the Battle of North Point, holding off the 
British infantry long enough for reinforcements to arrive. With their 
ground forces stymied, the British Navy commenced its intense, 25-hour 
bombardment of Fort McHenry. However, the bombardment was to no avail, 
as the stalwart American defenders refused to yield and the British 
were forced to depart.
  During the bombardment, American lawyer Francis Scott Key, who was 
being held aboard an American flag-of-truce vessel in Baltimore Harbor, 
beheld by the dawns early light the American flag still fluttering in 
the breeze atop Fort McHenry. At that moment, Key realized the 
Americans had survived the assault and stopped the enemy advance. 
Deeply moved by the sight of the American flag after the devastating 
assault, he immortalized the event in a poem entitled ``The Defense of 
Fort McHenry,'' which was later set to music and renamed ``The Star 
Spangled Banner.'' On March 3, 1931, President Herbert Hoover signed a 
Congressional resolution, formally making the ``Star Spangled Banner'' 
the national anthem of the United States.
  The flag that flew over Fort McHenry during that fateful night is now 
a national treasure that remains on display at the Smithsonian 
Institution as a stirring inspiration to all Americans. Each year the 
National Flag Day Foundation of Baltimore sponsors a moving ceremony at 
the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historical Shrine which brings 
our community together in celebration and remembrance of our 
illustrious history.
  America's flag graces classrooms, statehouses, courtrooms, and 
churches, serving as a daily reminder of this Nation's past 
accomplishments and ongoing dedication to safeguarding individual 
rights and political freedom. Whether it is being carried into battle 
by the brave members of our armed forces as they fulfill their missions 
in defense of democracy and peace or flying over the public buildings, 
the flag is a badge of honor for all to see--a sign of our citizens' 
common purpose.
  This week and throughout the year let us do all we can to teach 
younger generations the significance of our flag and to respect the men 
and women who have fallen to protect it. In red, white, and blue, we 
see the spirit of a Nation, the resilience of our Union, and the 
promise of a future forged in common purpose and dedication to the 
principles that have always kept America strong. As we reflect on our 
heritage, let us remember that our destiny is stitched together like 
those 50 stars and 13 stripes, united as one, with liberty and justice 
for all.

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