House Passes Bill To Fix Flag Rules, Honor Fallen Heroes
Legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives would ensure that federal agencies lower their flags to half-staff in honor of fallen service members, in accordance with state governors’ proclamations. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) authored the legislation and said the measure would provide fallen troops and their families with the appropriate respect.
“Those who make the ultimate sacrifice for our country deserve our nation’s ultimate respect,” Stupak said. “I am pleased that my colleagues voted to approve this legislation.”
Stupak’s bill, the “Army Specialist Joseph P. Micks Federal Flag Code Amendment Act of 2007,” would require all federal government agencies in a state to comply with a governor's proclamation to fly the national flag at half-staff in honor of those who lose their lives serving their country. The bill is named after Joseph P. Micks, a soldier from Rapid River, Michigan who was killed in Iraq last July.
Recently in Michigan's 1st Congressional District, fallen service members were honored with lowered flags in their hometowns and at the sites of their memorial services, but not in surrounding communities. While federal facilities in the hometown and at the site of the memorial services lowered their flags, some federal institutions in neighboring communities did not, creating an uneven display of respect.
“This inconsistent, patchwork display of respect is particularly hurtful to rural communities where the funeral processions of fallen troops often travel through multiple communities, some with lowered flags, others without,” Stupak continued. “Rural Americans disproportionately fill the ranks of our Armed Forces and it is important that when one of our young people perishes serving their nation, they receive the proper respect.”
Twenty of Stupak’s colleagues in the House, including Reps. Kildee (D-MI), Kilpatrick (D-MI) and Rogers (R-MI) have co-sponsored the legislation. An identical companion bill has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Carl Levin (D-MI).
“It is regrettable that this legislation is even necessary,” Stupak noted. “However, as there have been not one, but multiple instances where federal facilities ignored the Governor’s request to lower flags, it is important that Congress address this issue.”
Stupak was originally made aware of the problem last year and, at that time, raised the issue by writing to President Bush. Because the President never addressed Stupak’s concerns, the Congressman authored his legislation. The legislation passed by the House now goes to the Senate for consideration.
