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| Wilson: Flag Is a Symbol of Liberty & Sacrifice |
June 22, 2005 |
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Backs Amendment to Protect Stars & Stripes from Physical Desecration
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Heather Wilson today voted for a constitutional amendment that passed the House by the necessary two-thirds majority (286-130) and would authorize Congress to prohibit desecration of the flag of the United States.
Wilson said the flag represents the liberty that thousands of Americans fought and died to protect, and symbolizes the sacrifice of countless families of service men and women.
“One in ten New Mexicans has served under the flag in the United States Armed Forces. The flag is more than just a piece of cloth. It is a proud symbol of freedom, and it deserves our respect,” Wilson said.
Wilson is the only female veteran serving in Congress and the first Air Force Academy graduate to be elected to Congress.
To take effect, the amendment now needs approval by two-thirds of the U.S. Senate, followed by approval by three-fourths of the state legislatures. If approved by Congress and the states, the amendment would become the 28th amendment to the United States constitution.
The proposed amendment (H.J. Res. 10) simply states: “The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.” Currently, there is a federal law on the books and laws in 48 states to protect the flag. The Citizens Flag Alliance has compiled reports of 119 incidents of flag desecration in the U.S. since 1994. Fifty states have passed resolutions calling on Congress to pass an amendment protecting the flag.
The Supreme Court in 1989 by a 5-4 vote invalidated federal and state laws that prohibit desecrating the U.S. flag. Since then, Congress has introduced legislation to add a constitutional amendment to prevent flag desecration. The amendment has passed the House with the necessary two-thirds majority in 1990, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2003 and again today, but has previously fallen just short of the 67 votes necessary in the Senate.
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