[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 115 (Wednesday, June 16, 2004)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 33831-33832]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-13748]



[[Page 33829]]

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Part VI





The President





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Proclamation 7796--Flag Day and National Flag Week, 2004
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  Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 115 / Wednesday, June 16, 2004 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 33831]]

                Proclamation 7796 of June 12, 2004

                
Flag Day and National Flag Week, 2004

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                For more than 200 years, the American flag has served 
                as a symbol of our country's enduring freedom and 
                unity. Old Glory has welcomed generations of immigrants 
                to America's shores and is displayed proudly on homes, 
                at schools, and over businesses across our country. 
                During times of war, our flag has rallied our citizens 
                to defend the blessings of liberty at home and abroad. 
                It has accompanied our troops into battle and been 
                given to grieving families at the grave sites of fallen 
                heroes. Today, as our brave men and women in uniform 
                fight terrorism and advance freedom, the flag inspires 
                patriotism and pride across our Nation and around the 
                world.

                Each year on June 14, we honor the American flag and 
                recall the adoption of our first official national flag 
                by the Continental Congress in 1777. The first Flag Day 
                observances began quietly in the 19th century as State 
                and local celebrations recognizing the anniversary of 
                the Stars and Stripes. Inspired by these patriotic 
                gatherings, President Woodrow Wilson established the 
                first national observance by proclamation in 1916. To 
                commemorate the adoption of our flag, the Congress, by 
                joint resolution approved August 3, 1949, as amended 
                (63 Stat. 492), designated June 14 of each year as 
                ``Flag Day'' and requested that the President 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, by joint resolution approved June 9, 1966, 
                as amended (80 Stat. 194), that the President 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.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the 
                United States of America, do hereby proclaim June 14, 
                2004, as Flag Day and the week beginning June 13, 2004, 
                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 America, 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.

[[Page 33832]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twelfth day of June, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand four, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and twenty-eighth.

                    (Presidential Sig.)B

[FR Doc. 04-13748
Filed 6-15-04; 9:14 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P