Honor and Remember Flag Recognition Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 1363
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-02-14: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-13T08:06:46Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Honor and Remember Flag Recognition Act (H.R. 1363) aims to officially recognize the Honor and Remember Flag—created by the nonprofit organization Honor and Remember, Inc.—as a national symbol to honor and remember members of the U.S. Armed Forces who died while serving. It addresses the lack of an official emblem for these sacrifices, building on the historical finding that over one million service members have died in the line of duty since the Revolutionary War.
Key Provisions
- Designation of the Flag: The Honor and Remember Flag is designated as the official symbol representing the nation's commitment to fallen Armed Forces members.
- Required Display Locations: The flag must be displayed at:
- The U.S. Capitol and White House.
- World War II Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, and Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
- All national cemeteries.
- Offices of the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and Director of the Selective Service System.
- Major military installations (as designated by the Secretary of Defense).
- All Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers.
- All U.S. Postal Service post offices.
- Display Days: Mandatory display on:
- Armed Forces Day (third Saturday in May).
- Memorial Day (last Monday in May).
- Flag Day (June 14).
- Independence Day (July 4).
- National POW/MIA Recognition Day.
- Veterans Day (November 11).
- Additional rules: At memorials, VA centers, and post offices, it must be displayed whenever the U.S. flag is flown, or on the business day before a required day if that day is not a business day.
- Display Requirements: Flags must be shown in a way visible to the public. No employee can be required to work solely to display the flag.
- Implementation:
- Agency heads must issue regulations within 180 days of enactment.
- The General Services Administration (GSA) must begin procuring and distributing flags within 30 days.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill amends Chapter 9 of Title 36, United States Code (which covers patriotic observances and symbols like the U.S. flag), by adding a new Section 904 dedicated to the Honor and Remember Flag. Previously, no official national symbol existed specifically for fallen service members, and there were no mandates for its display at federal locations. A clerical update is also made to the chapter's table of contents.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Departments like Defense, Veterans Affairs, and State, along with the GSA and U.S. Postal Service, will incur costs for procuring, distributing, and maintaining the flags. They must update policies for display, but the law avoids mandating extra work hours.
- Citizens: Increases public visibility of the flag at key sites, fostering greater awareness and respect for military sacrifices, especially on national holidays. Families of fallen service members and veterans may feel more honored through this recognition.
- International Relations: No direct impacts; the bill focuses on domestic symbolism and observances.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Government Entities: Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, State; GSA; U.S. Postal Service; and military installations, which must implement displays.
- Veterans and Military Families: Fallen service members' families and veterans' groups, who benefit from the symbolic recognition.
- Nonprofit Organization: Honor and Remember, Inc., gains official status for its flag design.
- Public: General citizens visiting memorials, cemeteries, or government buildings, who will encounter the flag more frequently.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: The bill is straightforward and symbolic, adding to existing flag display laws without conflicting with them. It includes safeguards (e.g., no forced overtime) to avoid labor issues.
- Constitutional: No apparent challenges; it promotes free expression of patriotism under the First Amendment and does not infringe on rights, as display is mandatory only at public federal sites.
- Political: Sponsored by bipartisan representatives (e.g., from North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia), it signals broad support for honoring military service. Passage could encourage similar recognitions for other veteran-related symbols, potentially influencing future veterans' legislation.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1]
Cosponsors (19)
Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15], Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2], Rep. Nunn, Zachary [R-IA-3], Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2], Rep. Harris, Mark [R-NC-8], Rep. Baird, James R. [R-IN-4], Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3], Rep. Aderholt, Robert B. [R-AL-4], Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2], Rep. Moore, Barry [R-AL-1], Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1], Rep. Bresnahan, Robert P. [R-PA-8], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2], Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7], Rep. Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7], Rep. Shreve, Jefferson [R-IN-6]
Recent Actions
- 2025-02-14: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2025-02-14: Introduced in House
- 2025-02-14: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Honor and Remember Flag Recognition Act — issued 2025-02-14 — PDF (6 pages)