S.Res. 732Senate118th Congress (2023-2025)Passed Congress

A resolution celebrating the 247th anniversary of the creation of the flag of the United States and expressing support for the Pledge of Allegiance.

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Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S4064; text: CR S4088)

June 13, 2024

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Introduced in Senate

June 13, 2024

SenateFloor

Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S4064; text: CR S4088)

June 13, 2024

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What members said about S.Res. 732 on the floor

1 Republican

Sen. Mike BraunR-IN · Jun 13, 2024

Mr. President, I rise today--I have done this several times since I have been here in the Senate. It is always an honor to do it. When something is that important, I think it is worth repeating. I am rising today to offer a resolution expressing support for the Pledge of Allegiance as an expression of patriotism and honoring the 247th anniversary of the introduction of our U.S. flag.

Tomorrow, we celebrate Flag Day, which was established over 100 years ago by President Woodrow Wilson. As we pause to recognize all that our flag represents, let us also honor those who have sacrificed everything to defend it.

In 2002, Senator Tom Daschle raised a similar resolution with unanimous support from the Senate. It passed on the floor uneventfully. Today, I ask this body to reaffirm our support for the Pledge of Allegiance, also bringing into account somebody from Indiana--Red Skelton.

In 1969, the American entertainer, who was well known for his program ``The Red Skelton Hour,'' wrote a speech on the importance of the pledge. Reflecting on his time in Vincennes, IN, he spoke about the values instilled by one of his high school teachers.

After the performance of the speech, CBS received 200,000 requests for copies. I wonder if that would occur in this day and age. This speech would go on to be sold as a single by Columbia Records and performed at the White House for President Nixon.

I think it would honor Mr. Skelton's memory and the importance of the Pledge of Allegiance if it were recited again today on the Senate floor like I have done several times since I have been here.

Red Skelton:

When I was a small boy in Vincennes, Indiana, I heard, I

think, one of the most outstanding speeches I ever heard in

my life. I think it compares with the Sermon on the Mount,

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and Socrates' speech to the

Students.

We had just finished reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, and

Mr. Lasswell, the Principal of Vincennes High School, called

us all together. He says, ``Uh, boys and girls, I have been

listening to you recite the Pledge of Allegiance all

semester, and it seems that it has become a little monotonous

to you. Or, could it be, you do not understand the meaning of

each word? If I may, I would like to recite the pledge, and

give you a definition of each word:

I--Me; an individual; a committee of one.

Pledge--Dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without

self-pity.

Allegiance--My love and my devotion.

To the Flag--Our standard. `Old Glory'; a symbol of

courage. And wherever she waves, there is respect, because

your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts, `Freedom is

everybody's job.'

of the United--That means we have all come together.

States--Individual communities that have united into 48

great states;----

Forty-eight because of when it was done----

48 individual communities with pride and dignity and

purpose; all divided by imaginary boundaries, yet united to a

common cause, and that's love of country--

Of America.

And to the Republic--A Republic: a sovereign state in which

power is invested into the representatives chosen by the

people to govern; and the government is of the people; and

it's from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to

the people.

For which it stands

One Nation--Meaning `so blessed by God.'

[Under God]

Indivisible--Incapable of being divided.

With Liberty--Which is freedom; the right of power for one

to live his own life without fears, threats, or any sort of

retaliation.

And Justice--The principle and qualities of dealing fairly

with others.

For All--For All. That means, boys and girls, it's as much

your country as it is mine.''

Afterwards, Mr. Lasswell asked his students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance together, with newfound appreciation for the words.

I pledge allegiance

to the Flag of the United States of America

and to the Republic for which it stands;

one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Red Skelton concluded his speech by saying:

Since I was a small boy, two states have been added to our

country, and two words have been added to the Pledge of

Allegiance: Under God. Wouldn't it be a pity if someone said

``That is a prayer''--and [it should] be eliminated from our

schools [as well]?

Just as those students that day--Mr. Red Skelton included-- recommitted to the meaning of the words of the Pledge of Allegiance, I call upon the U.S. Senate to recommit to the meaning of these words.

There are times today that the words of the Pledge of Allegiance are tossed around without care. Other times, they are altered to remove what today is deemed offensive or antiquated. But Americans should not misuse or abuse our Pledge of Allegiance. The pledge is meant to remind Americans of our guiding principles and inspire adherence to those ideas that made our country great: equality under the law; recognized rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That is why, in honor of Flag Day tomorrow, I am requesting unanimous consent from my colleagues that my resolution expressing support of the Pledge of Allegiance be passed.

Mr. President, as if in legislative session and notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 732, which is at the desk; further, that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

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Agreed to SenateIssued June 13, 2024

III

118th CONGRESS

2nd Session

S. RES. 732

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 13, 2024

Mr. Braun (for himself, Mr. Budd, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. Schmitt, and Mr. Young) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

RESOLUTION

Celebrating the 247th anniversary of the creation of the flag of the United States and expressing support for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Whereas, on June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress approved the design of the flag of the United States;

Whereas, over the years, the flag of the United States has preserved the standards of the original design comprised of alternating red and white stripes accompanied by a union consisting of white stars on a field of blue;

Whereas, on May 30, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued Presidential Proclamation 1335, an announcement asking the people of the United States to observe June 14 as Flag Day;

Whereas, on August 3, 1949, President Harry Truman signed into law House Joint Resolution 170, 81st Congress, a joint resolution designating June 14 of each year as Flag Day;

Whereas, on August 21, 1959, President Dwight Eisenhower issued Executive Order 10834 (24 Fed. Reg. 6865), an order establishing the most recent design of the flag of the United States;

Whereas the Pledge of Allegiance was written by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, and first published in the September 8, 1892, issue of The Youth's Companion;

Whereas, in 1954, Congress added the words under God to the Pledge of Allegiance;

Whereas, for more than 60 years, the Pledge of Allegiance has included references to the United States flag, to the United States having been established as a union under God, and to the United States being dedicated to securing liberty and justice for all;

Whereas, in 1954, Congress believed it was acting constitutionally when it revised the Pledge of Allegiance;

Whereas the United States was founded on principles of religious freedom by the Founders, many of whom were deeply religious;

Whereas the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States embodies principles intended to guarantee freedom of religion through protecting the free exercise thereof and by prohibiting the Government from establishing a religion;

Whereas patriotic songs, engravings on United States legal tender, and engravings on Federal buildings also contain general references to God;

Whereas, in Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow, 542 U.S. 1 (2004), the Supreme Court of the United States overturned the decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Newdow v. U.S. Congress, 328 F.3d 466 (9th Cir. 2003), a case in which the Ninth Circuit concluded that recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance by a public school teacher violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States;

Whereas the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit subsequently concluded that—

(1)

the previous opinion of that court in Newdow v. U.S. Congress, 328 F.3d 466 (9th Cir. 2003) was no longer binding precedent;

(2)

case law from the Supreme Court of the United States concerning the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States had subsequently changed after the decision in Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow, 542 U.S. 1 (2004); and

(3)

Congress, in passing the new version of the Pledge of Allegiance, had established a secular purpose for the use of the term under God; and

Whereas, in light of those conclusions, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance by public school teachers: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate—

(1)

celebrates the 247th anniversary of the creation of the flag of the United States;

(2)

recognizes that the Pledge of Allegiance has been a valuable part of life for the people of the United States for generations; and

(3)

affirms that the Pledge of Allegiance is a constitutional expression of patriotism and strongly defends the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance.