PRINTER'S NO. 962
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
144
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY VULAKOVICH, ARGALL, BAKER, BARTOLOTTA, BREWSTER,
BROWNE, COSTA, DINNIMAN, FARNESE, FONTANA, GORDNER,
GREENLEAF, KILLION, MARTIN, RAFFERTY, RESCHENTHALER,
SCAVELLO, WARD, WHITE AND YUDICHAK, JUNE 14, 2017
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, JUNE 14, 2017
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing June 14, 2017, as "National Flag Day" in
Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, On June 14, 2017, Americans will observe the 240th
anniversary of the flag of the United States of America; and
WHEREAS, This special day provides a time for the residents
of this Commonwealth to reflect on the rich history of our
nation's flag and its meaning to Americans and people around the
world; and
WHEREAS, The Boy Scouts of America are deeply committed to
preserving the American tradition of honoring "National Flag
Day"; and
WHEREAS, The Continental Congress adopted the Stars and
Stripes as the official flag of the United States on June 14,
1777; and
WHEREAS, Describing the new flag, the Congress wrote, "White
signifies Purity and Innocence; Red, Hardiness and Valor; Blue
signifies Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice"; and
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WHEREAS, Over time, the flag's design evolved to keep pace
with our nation's development and growth, but its meaning as a
symbol of democracy and freedom has remained constant; and
WHEREAS, Flag Day was first celebrated throughout the country
in 1877; and
WHEREAS, As so often happens in our communities, a caring
teacher encouraging students to develop a love for learning was
the person who sparked renewed interest in the flag; and
WHEREAS, Wisconsin school teacher B.J. Cigrand arranged for
his pupils in 1885 to observe the 108th anniversary of the
flag's official adoption; and
WHEREAS, In magazine and newspaper articles and public
addresses in the following years, Cigrand promoted an official
national celebration of June 14 as Flag Birthday or Flag Day;
and
WHEREAS, Groups in Pennsylvania, New York and Illinois took
up the cause, and after three decades of state and local
celebrations, President Woodrow Wilson officially established
Flag Day by proclamation in 1916; and
WHEREAS, During World War II, Americans looked to the purity,
hardiness, valor, vigilance, perseverance and justice
represented by the flag as ideals worthy of the ultimate
sacrifice in order to defeat tyranny; and
WHEREAS, In celebration of the flag's powerful meaning to
Americans and its place in our culture and history, Flag Day
became a national observance by an act of Congress in 1949 and
signed into law by President Harry S. Truman; and
WHEREAS, On August 3, 1949, to commemorate the adoption of
the United States flag, Congress, by joint resolution,
designated June 14 of each year as Flag Day and requested the
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president to issue an annual proclamation calling for a national
observance and for the display of the flag of the United States
on all Federal Government buildings; and
WHEREAS, In a second joint resolution approved June 9, 1966,
Congress requested the president to annually issue a
proclamation designating the week during which June 14 falls as
"National Flag Week" and called upon all citizens of the United
States to display the flag during that week; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize June 14, 2017, as
"National Flag Day" in Pennsylvania.
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