IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 420 
Celebrating the symbol of the United States flag and supporting the goals 
and ideals of Flag Day. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 7, 2009 
Mr. LATTA submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 
RESOLUTION 
Celebrating the symbol of the United States flag and 
supporting the goals and ideals of Flag Day. 
Whereas Flag Day is celebrated annually on June 14, the an-
niversary of the official adoption of the American flag by 
the Continental Congress in 1777; 
Whereas on June 14, 1777, in order to establish an official 
flag for the new Nation, the Continental Congress passed 
the first Flag Act, which stated, ‘‘Resolved, That the flag 
of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alter-
nate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, 
white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation’’; 
Whereas the second Flag Act, signed January 13, 1794, pro-
vided for 15 stripes and 15 stars after May 1795; 
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•HRES 420 IH 
Whereas the Act of April 4, 1818, which provided for 13 
stripes and one star for each State, to be added to the 
flag on July 4 following the admission of each new State, 
was signed by President James Monroe; 
Whereas in an Executive order dated June 24, 1912, Presi-
dent William Howard Taft established the proportions of 
the flag and provided for arrangement of the stars in 6 
horizontal rows of 8 each, a single point of each star to 
be upward; 
Whereas in an Executive order dated January 3, 1959, Presi-
dent Dwight D. Eisenhower provided for the arrange-
ment of the stars in 9 rows staggered horizontally and 
11 rows of stars staggered vertically; 
Whereas the first celebration of the American flag is believed 
to have been introduced by Bernard Cigrand, a Wis-
consin school teacher, who arranged for his pupils at 
Stony Hill School in Waubeka to celebrate June 14 as 
‘‘Flag Birthday’’ in 1885; 
Whereas on June 14, 1894, the Governor of New York or-
dered that the American flag be displayed at all public 
buildings in the State, prompting many State and local 
governments to begin observing Flag Day; 
Whereas President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first na-
tionwide Flag Day in 1916; 
Whereas in 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed legisla-
tion requesting National Flag Day be observed annually; 
Whereas the United States flag is a symbol of our great Na-
tion and its ideals; 
Whereas in times of national crisis, Americans look to the 
United States flag as a symbol of hope, courage, and 
freedom; 
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•HRES 420 IH 
Whereas the United States flag is universally honored; 
Whereas the United States flag honors the men and women 
of the Armed Forces who have given their life in the de-
fense of the United States; 
Whereas the United States flag serves as a treasured symbol 
of the loss of loved ones to the countless families of those 
who died in defense of our Nation; and 
Whereas June 14, 2009, is recognized as Flag Day: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives cele-
brates the United States flag and supports the goals and 
ideals of Flag Day. 
Æ 
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