[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 111 (Tuesday, June 10, 1997)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 31699-31700]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-15386]



[[Page 31697]]

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Part V





The President





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Proclamation 7009--Flag Day and National Flag Week, 1997
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  Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 111 / Tuesday, June 10, 1997 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 31699]]

                Proclamation 7009 of June 6, 1997

                
Flag Day and National Flag Week, 1997

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Our Nation's flag has always flown in the vanguard of 
                the American journey, reminding us of our proud past 
                and beckoning us into a future full of promise. Its 
                bold colors reflect the courage and exuberance of the 
                American people, and its simple but inspired design 
                symbolizes both the unity and diversity that define our 
                Nation.

                Adopted by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777, 
                the Stars and Stripes became the official flag of the 
                young United States and a compelling symbol of our new 
                independence. Woven into its folds were the hopes, 
                dreams, and determination of the extraordinary 
                individuals who founded this country--hopes for a 
                system of government that would honor the rights and 
                dignity of every citizen; dreams that their great 
                experiment in democracy would succeed; and 
                determination to ensure that success, even at the cost 
                of their own lives. Since that time, generations of 
                Americans have invested the flag with their own hopes 
                and dreams. Millions of immigrants, traveling to these 
                shores to flee poverty or oppression, have rejoiced at 
                their first glimpse of the American flag, confident 
                that its promise of freedom, equality, and opportunity 
                would prove true for them and their families.

                We have carried Old Glory to places undreamed of by our 
                founders, from the depths of Earth's oceans to the Sea 
                of Tranquility on the Moon. Through conflict and in 
                peace, on missions of exploration and on missions of 
                mercy, the flag has led us wherever our questing 
                spirits have been willing to venture, and whenever 
                America's freedom, security, and values have been 
                threatened.

                On Flag Day and during National Flag Week, I encourage 
                all Americans to join me in reflecting on the proud 
                history and profound meaning of our flag. And let us 
                pledge to keep faith with those generations of 
                patriots, both military and civilian, who gave their 
                lives to keep the flag flying over a Nation that is 
                free, strong, and true to our highest ideals.

                To commemorate the adoption of our flag, the Congress, 
                by joint resolution approved August 3, 1949 (63 Stat. 
                492), designated June 14 of each year as ``Flag Day'' 
                and requested the President to issue an annual 
                proclamation calling for its observance and for the 
                display of the Flag of the United States on all Federal 
                Government buildings. The Congress also requested the 
                President, by joint resolution approved June 9, 1966 
                (80 Stat. 194), to issue annually a proclamation 
                designating the week in which June 14 occurs as 
                ``National Flag Week'' and calling upon all citizens of 
                the United States to display the flag during that week.

[[Page 31700]]

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the 
                United States of America, do hereby proclaim June 14, 
                1997, as Flag Day and the week beginning June 8, 1997, 
                as National Flag Week. I direct the appropriate 
                officials to display the flag on all Federal Government 
                buildings during that week, and I urge all Americans to 
                observe Flag Day and National Flag Week by flying the 
                Stars and Stripes from their homes and other suitable 
                places.

                I also call upon the people of the United States to 
                observe with pride and all due ceremony those days from 
                Flag Day through Independence Day, also set aside by 
                the Congress (89 Stat. 211), as a time to honor our 
                Nation, to celebrate our heritage in public gatherings 
                and activities, and to publicly recite the Pledge of 
                Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord nineteen 
                hundred and ninety-seven, and of the Independence of 
                the United States of America the two hundred and 
                twenty-first.

                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 97-15386
Filed 6-9-97; 10:37 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P