I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7183 
To amend title 36, United States Code, to designate the Freedom Flag 
as an official symbol of the United States to honor and remember 
the victims and emergency responders who died on September 11, 2001, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 11, 2020 
Ms. SPANBERGER (for herself, Mr. KING of New York, Mr. CLINE, Mr. 
BEYER, Mr. GRIFFITH, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. RIGGLEMAN, Ms. WEXTON, 
Mr. WITTMAN, Mrs. LURIA, Mr. MCEACHIN, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. 
ZELDIN, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, Miss RICE of New 
York, Mr. ROSE of New York, Ms. STEFANIK, Mr. SUOZZI, Mr. KATKO, 
Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. BRINDISI, Mr. MALINOWSKI, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. 
GOTTHEIMER, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Ms. DEAN, and Ms. NORTON) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Ju-
diciary 
A BILL 
To amend title 36, United States Code, to designate the 
Freedom Flag as an official symbol of the United States 
to honor and remember the victims and emergency re-
sponders who died on September 11, 2001, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Nine-Eleven 
Victims and Emergency Responders Flag Of Remem-
brance, Gratitude, and Education for Tomorrow Act’’ or 
the ‘‘National NEVER FORGET Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) On September 11, 2001, terrorists launched 
an attack on the United States that resulted in the 
deaths of nearly 3,000 United States citizens. 
(2) Richard N. Melito designed a flag known as 
the ‘‘Freedom Flag’’ on September 20, 2001, to me-
morialize and commemorate— 
(A) the victims and emergency responders 
of such attack; 
(B) the events surrounding such attack; 
and 
(C) the sense of national unity and patriot-
ism that followed the attack. 
(3) The meaning of the Freedom Flag is illus-
trated by the colors and symbols of the flag, includ-
ing— 
(A) an old glory blue background that rep-
resents the people of the United States uniting 
together for freedom; 
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(4) On October 25, 2001, a flag maker sewed 
the first Freedom Flag with the design of Mr. Melito 
and unveiled the flag on December 16, 2001. 
(5) The Virginia Historical Society adopted the 
Freedom Flag on November 12, 2001, for display 
during a memorial exhibit commemorating the Sep-
tember 11, 2001, attack on the Pentagon. 
(6) In May 2002, Mr. Melito established a non-
profit organization known as the ‘‘Freedom Flag 
Foundation’’ to facilitate the distribution of the 
Freedom Flag to help educate children about the 
terrorist attacks and to foster the establishment of 
a national symbol of remembrance. 
(7) On March 30, 2018, the Commonwealth of 
Virginia designated the Freedom Flag as an official 
emblem of Virginia. 
SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF FREEDOM FLAG HONORING AND 
REMEMBERING THOSE WHO DIED ON SEP-
TEMBER 11, 2001. 
(a) DESIGNATION.—Chapter 9 of title 36, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘§ 904. Designation of Freedom Flag 
‘‘(a) DESIGNATION.—The flag known as the ‘Free-
dom Flag’ designed by Richard N. Melito is designated 
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as the symbol of the commitment of the United States to 
honoring and remembering the victims and emergency re-
sponders who died as a result of the terrorist attacks on 
September 11, 2001. 
‘‘(b) REQUIRED DISPLAY.—The Freedom Flag shall 
be displayed each year on Patriot Day, September 11, and, 
thereafter, each day through the end of September at— 
‘‘(1) the Capitol; 
‘‘(2) the White House; 
‘‘(3) each national cemetery; 
‘‘(4) each major military installation, as des-
ignated by the Secretary of Defense; 
‘‘(5) the building containing the official office 
of— 
‘‘(A) the Secretary of State; 
‘‘(B) the Secretary of Defense; and 
‘‘(C) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; 
‘‘(6) each medical center of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs; and 
‘‘(7) each United States Postal Service post of-
fice. 
‘‘(c) DISPLAY VISIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.—The Free-
dom Flag shall be displayed pursuant to subsection (b) 
in a manner designed to ensure visibility to the public.’’. 
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(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 9 of title 36, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
item: 
‘‘904. Designation of Freedom Flag.’’. 
Æ 
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