Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day Act of 2023

Subjects: International Affairs


<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1522 Introduced in House (IH)]

&lt;DOC&gt;






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1522

  To amend title 36, United States Code, to request the President to 
issue an annual proclamation designating Hostage and Wrongful Detainee 
Day, to designate the Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Flag as an official 
 symbol to recognize citizens of the United States held as hostages or 
          wrongfully detained abroad, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 9, 2023

 Ms. Stevens (for herself and Mr. Hill) introduced the following bill; 
 which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, 
 and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 36, United States Code, to request the President to 
issue an annual proclamation designating Hostage and Wrongful Detainee 
Day, to designate the Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Flag as an official 
 symbol to recognize citizens of the United States held as hostages or 
          wrongfully detained abroad, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day 
Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. DESIGNATION.

    (a) Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day.--
            (1) In general.--Chapter 1 of title 36, United States Code, 
        is amended--
                    (A) by redesignating the second section 146 
                (relating to Choose Respect Day) as section 147; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 148. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day
    ``The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation--
            ``(1) designating a day as Hostage and Wrongful Detainee 
        Day; and
            ``(2) calling on the people of the United States to observe 
        Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day with appropriate ceremonies 
        and activities.''.
            (2) Technical and conforming amendment.--The table of 
        sections for chapter 1 of title 36, United States Code, is 
        amended by striking the item relating to the second section 146 
        and inserting the following:

``147. Choose Respect Day.
``148. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day.''.
    (b) Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Flag.--
            (1) In general.--Chapter 9 of title 36, United States Code, 
        is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 904. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Flag
    ``(a) Designation.--The Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Flag 
championed by the Bring Our Families Home Campaign is designated as the 
symbol of the commitment of the United States to recognizing citizens 
of the United States held as hostages or wrongfully detained abroad.
    ``(b) Required Display.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Flag 
        shall be displayed at the locations specified in paragraph (2) 
        on the days specified in paragraph (3).
            ``(2) Locations specified.--The locations specified in this 
        paragraph are the following:
                    ``(A) The Capitol.
                    ``(B) The White House.
                    ``(C) The buildings containing the official office 
                of--
                            ``(i) the Secretary of State; and
                            ``(ii) the Secretary of Defense.
            ``(3) Days specified.--The days specified in this paragraph 
        are the following:
                    ``(A) Flag Day, June 14.
                    ``(B) Independence Day, July 4.
                    ``(C) Any other day on which a citizen or lawful 
                permanent resident of the United States--
                            ``(i) returns to the United States from 
                        being held hostage or wrongfully detained 
                        abroad; or
                            ``(ii) dies while being held hostage or 
                        wrongfully detained abroad.
            ``(4) Display to be in a manner visible to the public.--
        Display of the Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Flag pursuant to 
        this section shall be in a manner designed to ensure visibility 
        to the public.
            ``(5) Limitation.--This section may not be construed or 
        applied so as to require any employee to report to work solely 
        for the purpose of providing for the display of the Hostage and 
        Wrongful Detainee Flag.''.
            (2) Technical and conforming amendment.--The table of 
        sections for chapter 9 of title 36, United States Code, is 
        amended by adding at the end the following:

``904. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Flag.''.
                                 &lt;all&gt;
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