[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 8660]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                FLAG DAY

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, 100 years ago, President Woodrow Wilson 
issued a proclamation which established June 14 as Flag Day, the day 
during which we commemorate the 1777 adoption of our great Nation's 
flag. In 1949, an act of Congress established National Flag Day. Today 
I wish to recognize and celebrate Flag Day and remember all those who 
have fought in defense of our flag and everything it symbolizes.
  The Flag Act of 1777 established that the first flag of the United 
States would have 13 red and white stripes, as well as 13 white stars 
in a blue field in order to recognize the Thirteen Original Colonies. 
Since then, our flag has grown to include 50 stars which represent all 
50 States in our Union today. The final star, representing the State of 
Hawaii, was added in 1960. Since then, our flag has flown proudly 
throughout the United States and in embassies around the world, 
celebrating our Nation's history of freedom and liberty. The evolution 
of our flag is representative of our evolution as a nation and how far 
we have come over the past 239 years.
  In Maryland, Flag Day is also a day to remember the important 
contributions made by our State to our Nation's development in the 
early days of the Union.
  In the midst of the War of 1812, General Samuel Smith asked Baltimore 
resident Mary Pickersgill to make a flag ``so large that the British 
will have no difficulty seeing it from a distance.'' That flag, 30 feet 
tall and 42 feet wide, was raised and flown over Fort McHenry during 
the famous Battle of Baltimore in 1814. Mary Pickersgill's flag also 
became the inspiration for the poem written by Francis Scott Key, which 
would eventually become our country's national anthem.
  That night, our flag stood as a symbol of the strength of our union 
and the bravery and resilience of those willing to fight for it. Today 
it continues to serve as a reminder of the courage and commitment of 
those willing to give all in defense of the freedoms granted to every 
American. On this day, we remember not only the history and growth of 
this Nation, but also the men and women who gave that ultimate 
sacrifice in order to uphold the liberties for which our flag stands.
  For over two centuries, our flag has meant hope, freedom, and liberty 
to all those who enter this country, and it will continue to uphold 
this meaning for many years to come. Since 1777, the flag has been a 
reminder to every American of the work and sacrifices made to keep our 
Nation great. This Flag Day, it is important to remember everything our 
flag symbolizes. We must reflect on the history of our Nation and the 
growth of its unity--from our geographic expansion over time to the 
evolution of our population and the definition of what it means to be 
an American. We must also commemorate the lives of those who have 
served our Nation and its people in pursuit of the values for which the 
flag--and we--proudly stand.
  Our banner waves in the name of the freedom of every American, and we 
join together on this day in order to commemorate every contribution 
which has kept that freedom alive.

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