Flag Day and National Flag Week, 2005

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Part III

The President

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Proclamation 7910--Flag Day and National Flag Week, 2005

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 7910 of June 10, 2005

Flag Day and National Flag Week, 2005

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

For more than two centuries, the flag of the United
States has been a symbol of hope and pride. The flag
has inspired our citizens during times of conflict and
comforted us during moments of sorrow and loss. On Flag
Day and throughout National Flag Week, we celebrate the
proud legacy of Old Glory and reflect on this enduring
symbol of freedom.

On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress
passed a resolution stating that ``the flag of the
United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and
white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a
blue field.'' As States have been added to the Union,
the flag has been modified to reflect their addition to
our Nation. Today, the appearance of our flag is based
on President Eisenhower's Executive Order of August 21,
1959, to include a star for all 50 States together with
13 stripes representing the original 13 American
colonies.

Generations of Americans in uniform have carried the
Stars and Stripes into battle so that our citizens can
live in freedom. Across the globe, a new generation of
Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen
has stepped forward to serve under our flag, defending
America from our enemies. We are grateful to them and
their families for defending our flag and the values of
our great Nation.

On this Flag Day, we recall the rich history of Old
Glory, and we remember our duty to carry our heritage
of freedom into the future.

To commemorate the adoption of our flag, the Congress,
by joint resolution approved August 3, 1949, as amended
(63 Stat. 492), designated June 14 of each year as
``Flag Day'' and requested that the President issue an
annual proclamation calling for its observance and for
the display of the flag of the United States on all
Federal Government buildings. The Congress also
requested, by joint resolution approved June 9, 1966,
as amended (80 Stat. 194), that the President issue
annually a proclamation designating the week in which
June 14 occurs as ``National Flag Week'' and calling
upon all citizens of the United States to display the
flag during that week.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the
United States of America, do hereby proclaim June 14,
2005, as Flag Day and the week beginning June 12, 2005,
as National Flag Week. I direct the appropriate
officials to display the flag on all Federal Government
buildings during that week, and I urge all Americans to
observe Flag Day and National Flag Week by flying the
Stars and Stripes from their homes and other suitable
places. I also call upon the people of the United
States to observe with pride and all due ceremony those
days from Flag Day through Independence Day, also set
aside by the Congress (89 Stat. 211), as a time to
honor America, to celebrate our heritage in public
gatherings and activities, and to publicly recite the
Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States
of America.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
tenth day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand
five, and of the Independence of the United States of
America the two hundred and twenty-ninth.

(Presidential Sig.)B