H.R. No. 1952
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, For more than two centuries, the American flag has
symbolized the values, ideals, and spirit of our nation, and
Americans celebrate Flag Day each year to mark the anniversary of
the official adoption of the Stars and Stripes on June 14, 1777; and
WHEREAS, The idea for an annual day of celebration of the
American flag is believed to have originated in 1885, when a
Wisconsin public school teacher arranged for his students to
commemorate "Flag Birthday" on June 14; celebrations were held
throughout the late 19th century by the Betsy Ross House in
Philadelphia, the New York Society of the Sons of the Revolution,
and the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a
proclamation establishing Flag Day as a nationwide observance,
calling on Americans to consider it "a day upon which we should
direct our minds with a special desire of renewal to thoughts of the
ideals and principles of which we have sought to make our great
Government the embodiment"; with the observance growing in
popularity in communities around the country, President Harry
Truman signed an Act of Congress in 1949 officially designating
June 14 as National Flag Day; and
WHEREAS, Known fondly as the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory,
and the Star-Spangled Banner, the flag originally bore 13 stars in a
circle, representing the original 13 states of the union, and the
number has expanded as the nation has grown; the blue field behind
the stars signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice; the
flag's 13 stripes reflect the number of colonies that joined
together to become an independent nation, with the white stripes
also symbolizing purity and innocence and the red stripes
symbolizing hardiness and valor; and
WHEREAS, The flag has been a source of strength and comfort to
American troops in wartime and was a particularly poignant symbol
for soldiers taking part in the D-Day invasion during World War II
and for American prisoners of war in Vietnam; one of the POWs, Mike
Christian, secretly sewed a flag to his clothing to inspire his
fellow prisoners, and he was undaunted by the savage beating he
received from his North Vietnamese captors in retaliation; and
WHEREAS, Citizens of totalitarian and communist countries
often wave the American flag as a symbol of liberty and freedom;
this was recently witnessed in Hong Kong, when protesters displayed
the stars and stripes as part of their resistance to communist
Chinese rule in the territory; and
WHEREAS, The patriotic display of the flag prompts many
Americans to sing along with the Lee Greenwood hit "God Bless the
U.S.A.," proclaiming "I thank my lucky stars - To be living here
today - 'Cause the flag still stands for freedom - And they can't
take that away"; moreover, country music icon Johnny Cash wrote his
song "Ragged Old Flag" to "reaffirm faith in the country and the
goodness of the American people," and the song is performed at
events around the nation, from ceremonies at West Point to local
Veterans Day and Independence Day observances; and
WHEREAS, The flag that once united our fledgling republic
continues to be a beacon of hope and freedom for people around the
world, and Flag Day serves as an occasion to celebrate the legacy of
Old Glory and to reflect on the national heritage for which it
stands; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate June 14, 2022, as Flag Day and
encourage all Texans to display and pay respect to the American
flag.
Price
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1952 was adopted by the House on May
31, 2021, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House