U.S. SENATE —On Flag Day, U.S. Senator Steve Daines today introduced a Constitutional Amendment to give Congress the authority to prohibit burning the American flag.
On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution making the first stars and stripes our nation’s flag. In 1989, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a narrow decision that protected the desecration of the U.S. Flag under the First Amendment. Their rulings determined that as Constitutional free speech, desecration of the flag cannot be prohibited by federal or state law.
“The American flag has been a symbol of hope and freedom for centuries and ought to be respected,” Daines stated. “Our nation’s flag must be set apart as a protected symbol worthy of honor.”
The American Legion of Montana: “It is long past time that the flag of the United States be protected from desecration, The American Legion of Montana applauds Senator Daines’ effort to protect the flag.”
The Department of Montana Veterans of Foreign Wars: “The U.S. flag should be protected by the U.S. Constitution in the name of all veterans that gave their lives to protect it”
The American Legion, on behalf of the Citizens Flag Alliance: “American Legion National Commander Charles E. Schmidt was delighted to learn on this historic Flag Day that U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., has introduced a bill to give Congress the authority to prohibit desecration of the U.S. flag. The measure follows introduction of a similar bill in the House on Feb. 2 by Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark.”
The amendment is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Dean Heller (R-NV), Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT).
Click HERE to download the text of Daines’ amendment.
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