PRINTER'S NO. 2039
No. 88 Session of 1981
INTRODUCED BY STEWART, JUNE 29, 1981
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON FEDERAL-STATE RELATIONS, JUNE 29, 1981
In the House of Representatives, June 29, 1981
1 WHEREAS, A flag has been designed to serve as a National
2 tribute to the fifty-two Americans who were held hostage in Iran
3 from November 4, 1979 to January 20, 1981, and to the eight
4 American servicemen who died in the aborted attempt to rescue
5 those hostages on April 25, 1980; and
6 WHEREAS, This flag has been named the "Freedom Flag"; and
7 WHEREAS, The Freedom Flag has eight golden-yellow stripes
8 symbolizing the eight brave servicemen who gave their lives to
9 free their fellow Americans; and
10 WHEREAS, Alternating with the eight golden-yellow stripes are
11 seven white stripes, and at the end of each white stripe there
12 is one red letter together spelling the word "FREEDOM"; and
13 WHEREAS, Near the center of the Freedom Flag there is a red
14 circle surrounded by a circular band of blue, and placed on such
15 band are two interwoven rings of twenty-six white stars,
16 representing the fifty-two Americans held hostage in Iran for
17 four hundred and forty-four days and signifying the unity of
1 America; and
2 WHEREAS, The main focal point of the Freedom Flag is four
3 sets of praying hands pointing to the center of the
4 aforementioned red circle, illustrating the fact that the
5 prayers of Americans and of people around the world were
6 answered when the hostages were released; and
7 WHEREAS, At the point where the praying hands meet there is
8 positioned a single golden-yellow star, not only representing
9 one of the former hostages, but also expressing the hope for the
10 freedom of approximately two thousand three hundred Americans
11 still listed as missing in action in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos;
12 and
13 WHEREAS, The Freedom Flag should be displayed as an enduring
14 symbol that the American people know what true freedom is, and
15 as a demonstration of how greatly that freedom is valued; and
16 WHEREAS, The same resolution, House Resolution No. 208, has
17 been introduced in the United States House of Representatives;
18 therefore be it
19 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives calls upon the
20 Congress of the United States to adopt House Resolution No. 208
21 which directs the President through proclamation to:
22 (1) designate the flag referred to in the second Whereas
23 Clause of this Resolution as the National "Freedom Flag";
24 (2) prescribe regulations requiring executive
25 departments, agencies and other instrumentalities of the
26 Federal Government to use and display such Freedom Flag, in
27 the manner which he shall direct, in conjunction with the use
28 and display of the flag of the United States as defined in
29 sections 1 and 2 of Title 4, United States Code and Executive
30 Order 10834, issued pursuant thereto; and
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1 (3) call on all persons, organizations and governmental
2 entities in the United States not required to conform to the
3 regulations prescribed under clause (2) to use and display
4 such Freedom Flag, in accordance with guidelines concerning
5 the appropriate manner of such use and display which he shall
6 establish, in conjunction with the use and display of such
7 flag of the United States; and be it further
8 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
9 the President and to each member of the United States House of
10 Representatives and to each member of the United States Senate.
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