Feb-28-95 (HOUSE) ANNOUNCEMENT OF INTRODUCTION OF FLAG AMENDMENT

Note: This document is the unofficial version of the Congressional Record. The printed Congressional Record produced by the Government Printing Office is the only official version.

PART: CONGRESSIONAL RECORD (HOUSE)
DATE February 28, 1995
PAGE H2309
TITLE ANNOUNCEMENT OF INTRODUCTION OF FLAG AMENDMENT

TEXT

Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, today marks the beginning of a grassroots movement to end the despicable acts of desecration to our national symbol, the American flag. On the west steps of the Capitol, a bipartisan group of Congressmen from the House and Senate will indicate their support for an amendment to the Constitution prohibiting such destruction of our flag. This announcement comes in conjunction with the Citizens Flag Alliance, a coalition of 89 civic and veterans organizations who have been pursuing this legislation for over 2 years.

In that regard, Mr. Speaker, allow me to emphasize that the introduction of this resolution is not in response to changes that have occurred within Washington. However, it is in response to a massive surge from outside the beltway among concerned Americans who wanted to effect this change for some time. As evidence of the effect of this movement, 46 State legislatures have passed memorializing resolutions calling on Congress to pass this amendment protecting the flag.

Mr. Speaker, we have a duty to respond to this overwhelming public outcry to protect our flag. To that end, today I will join with over 150 of my colleagues in the House and nearly 30 Senators, in introducing legislation which does just that. At this time, I would like to invite those colleagues interested in backing this historic and long overdue resolution to join these cosponsors and thousands of veterans and other supporters at 10:30 this morning on the west terrace of the Capitol.

PAGE H2309 Mr. Speaker, today marks the beginning of the grassroots movement which will ultimately put an end to the destruction of Old Glory. In those 89 organizations that I have mentioned, they cover, of course, every major veterans organization in this Nation. It includes others from the private sector such as the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Grand Lodge of Fraternal Order of Police, the Grand Lodge of Masons, the Knights of Columbus, union organizations such as the Laborers` International Union of North America, the National Alliance of Families, and the National Grange.

Mr. Speaker, I could go on and on listing all 89, but time will not allow that.
PAGE H2309 Again, I would just call attention to the membership that we are having this rally on the Capitol steps, the west terrace, at 10:30 this morning. I invite you all to come and join this historic effort.

Mr. Speaker, I submit for the Record the complete list of the Citizens Flag Alliance, Inc. member organizations.

AMVETS (American Veterans of WWII, Korea and Vietnam); African-American Women`s Clergy Association; Air Force Association; Air Force Sergeants Association; Alliance of Women Veterans; American GI Forum of the US, Founding Chapter; The American Legion; American Legion Auxiliary; American Merchant Marine Veterans; American War Mothers; Ancient Order of Hibernians; Association of the U.S. Army; Baltic Women`s Council; Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks; Congressional Medal of Honor Society of the USA. Croatian American Association; Croatian Catholic Union; Czech Catholic Union; Czechoslovak Christian Democracy in the U.S.A.; Enlisted Association National Guard of the U.S.; Fleet Reserve Association; Forty and Eight; Fox Associates, Inc.; Gold Star Wives of America, Inc.; Grand Lodge, Fraternal Order of Police; Grand Lodge of Masons of Oklahoma; Hungarian Association; Hungarian Reformed Federation of America; Italian Sons and Daughters of America; Knights of Columbus; Korean American Association of Greater Washington; Laborers` International Union of N.A.; MBNA America. Marine Corps League; Marine Corps Reserve Officers Association; Military Order of the Purple Heart of the USA; Moose International; National Alliance of Families; National Association for Uniformed Services; National Center for Public Policy Research; National Cosmetology Association; National Federation of Hungarian-Americans; National Federation of State High School Associations; National Flag Foundation; National Grange; National Guard Association of the U.S.; National League of Families of Am. Prisoners and Missing in SE Asia; National Officers Association (NOA); National Organization of World War Nurses; National Service Star Legion; National Vietnam Veterans Coalition; and Native Daughters of the Golden West. PAGE H2309 Native Sons of the Golden West; Navy League of the U.S.; Navy Seabee Veterans of America; Navy Seabee Veterans of America H 2310 Auxiliary; Non-Commissioned Officers Association; PAC Pennsylvania Eastern Division; Polish American Congress; Polish Army Veterans Association (S.W.A.P.); Polish Falcons of America; Polish Falcons of America - District II; Polish Home Army; Polish National Alliance; Polish National Union; Polish Roman Catholic Union of North America; Polish Scouting Organization; Polish Western Association; Polish Women`s Alliance; RR Donnelley & Sons, Company; Scottish Rite of Freemasonry - Northern Masonic Jurisdiction; Scottish Rite of Freemasonry - Southern Jurisdiction; and Sons of The American Legion. The Orchard Lakes Schools; The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA); The Travelers Protective Association; The Uniformed Services Association (TUSA); U.S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association; U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce; Ukrainian Gold Cross; Women`s Army Corps Veterans Association; Women`s Overseas Service League; and Woodmen of the World.