1Recognizing June 14, 2013, as "National Flag Day" in
2Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, On June 14, 2013, Americans will observe the 236th
4anniversary of the flag of the United States of America; and

5WHEREAS, This special day provides a time for the residents
6of this Commonwealth to reflect on the rich history of our
7nation's flag and its meaning to Americans and people around the
8world; and

9WHEREAS, The Boy Scouts of America are deeply committed to
10preserving the American tradition of honoring National Flag Day;
11and

12WHEREAS, The Continental Congress adopted the Stars and
13Stripes as the official flag of the United States on June 14,

11777; and

2WHEREAS, Describing the new flag, the Congress wrote, "White
3signifies Purity and Innocence; Red, Hardiness and Valor; Blue
4signifies Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice"; and

5WHEREAS, Over time, the flag's design evolved to keep pace
6with our nation's development and growth, but its meaning as a
7symbol of democracy and freedom has remained constant; and

8WHEREAS, Flag Day was first celebrated throughout the country
9in 1877; and

10WHEREAS, As so often happens in our communities, a caring
11teacher encouraging students to develop a love for learning
12sparked renewed interest in the flag; and

13WHEREAS, Wisconsin schoolteacher B. J. Cigrand arranged for
14his pupils in 1885 to observe the 108th anniversary of the
15flag's official adoption; and

16WHEREAS, In magazine and newspaper articles and public
17addresses in the following years, Cigrand promoted an official
18national celebration of June 14 as Flag Birthday or Flag Day;
19and

20WHEREAS, Groups in Pennsylvania, New York and Illinois took
21up the cause, and after three decades of state and local
22celebrations, President Woodrow Wilson officially established
23Flag Day by proclamation in 1916; and

24WHEREAS, During World War II, Americans looked to the purity,
25hardiness, valor, vigilance, perseverance and justice
26represented by the flag as ideals worthy of the ultimate
27sacrifice in order to defeat tyranny; and

28WHEREAS, In celebration of the flag's powerful meaning to
29Americans and its place in our culture and history, Flag Day
30became a national observance by act of Congress in 1949 and

1signed into law by President Harry Truman; and

2WHEREAS, On August 3, 1949, to commemorate the adoption of
3the United States flag, Congress, by joint resolution,
4designated June 14 of each year as Flag Day and requested the
5president to issue an annual proclamation calling for a national
6observance and for the display of the flag of the United States
7on all Federal Government buildings; and

8WHEREAS, In a second joint resolution approved June 9, 1966,
9Congress requested the president to issue annually a
10proclamation designating the week during which June 14 falls as
11National Flag Week and called upon all citizens of the United
12States to display the flag during that week; therefore be it

13RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize June
1414, 2013, as "National Flag Day" in Pennsylvania.