III 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 550 

Commemorating the 200th anniversary of ‘‘The Star-Spangled Banner’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 16, 2014 

Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mr. WICKER, and Ms. MIKULSKI) submitted the 

following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Commemorating the 200th anniversary of ‘‘The StarSpangled Banner’’. 

Whereas during the War of 1812, Great Britain turned its 

full attention to the war effort in North America following its defeat of Napoleon’s armies on the European 

continent in April 1814; 

Whereas British forces dealt a devastating blow to the forces 

of the United States at the Battle of Bladensburg and 

were, as a consequence, able to march into Washington, 

D.C. unopposed and, on August 24, 1814, burn the 

United States Capitol Building, the Executive Mansion, 

now known as the White House, and other government 

buildings; 

Whereas on September 13, 1814, with the fate of the Nation 

uncertain, Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland, withVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:58 Sep 17, 2014 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR550.ATS SR550

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stood 25 hours of bombardment by the British Royal 

Navy; 

Whereas on the following morning, the soldiers of Fort 

McHenry hoisted an enormous American flag, the sight 

of which inspired Francis Scott Key to write a poem he 

titled ‘‘The Star-Spangled Banner’’; 

Whereas on December 24, 1814, American and British commissioners signed the Treaty of Ghent, which would be 

ratified the following February, bringing the War of 1812 

to an end and firmly establishing the United States of 

America as a sovereign nation within the family of nations; 

Whereas on March 3, 1931, President Herbert Hoover signed 

Public Law 71–823, designating ‘‘The Star-Spangled 

Banner’’ as the national anthem of the United States; 

Whereas ‘‘The Star-Spangled Banner’’ was written to celebrate American courage at a time when the torch of liberty looked as if it were about to be extinguished; 

Whereas singing the national anthem at large public gatherings, such as sporting events, brings patriotic unity to 

the great melting pot known as the United States of 

America; 

Whereas our national anthem has become an enduring symbol of ‘‘the land of the free and the home of the brave’’; 

Whereas the people of the United States are celebrating the 

bicentennial of ‘‘The Star-Spangled Banner’’ with a variety of commemorative events nationwide during the week 

of September 10 through 16, 2014, including the ‘‘O Say 

Can You See! Star-Spangled Spectacular’’ festival in Baltimore on September 13, 2014, which included concerts 


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and an extraordinary fireworks display over Fort 

McHenry and the Baltimore harbor; and 

Whereas it is especially important to educate young people 

and new citizens of the United States about the history 

and meaning of the national anthem: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That— 

2 (1) the Senate designates the period from Sep3 tember 2014 through September 2015 as the ‘‘Year 

4 of National Thanksgiving for ‘The Star-Spangled 

5 Banner’ ’’; 

6 (2) the Senate encourages all State and local 

7 governments and the people of the United States to 

8 observe this period of thanksgiving with appropriate 

9 ceremonies, activities, educational outreach, and re10 flection; and 

11 (3) it is the sense of the Senate that ‘‘The Star12 Spangled Banner’’ shall retain all current verses and 

13 remain our national anthem in perpetuity. 

Æ 


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