Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. — June 13, 2025… As our country celebrates Flag Day tomorrow, Congressman Steve Womack (R-AR) today reintroduced a constitutional amendment to restore the authority of Congress to protect our national emblem of freedom by prohibiting the desecration of the American flag. There is a companion joint resolution in the Senate, which is being led by Senator Steve Daines (R-MT).

Congressman Womack said, “The American flag is a profound symbol of our nation's unity, built on the shared principles of individual liberty and freedom of thought and expression. These rights, secured through the sacrifices of countless men and women, are not only fundamental to our country but also a unique privilege. To honor the service and principles that patriots of both past and present have valiantly defended, we must grant Congress, and by extension the people, the authority to ensure the flag receives the respect and protection it deserves.”

Senator Daines said, “The American flag is a sacred symbol of freedom, unity, and the sacrifice of generations of Americans who fought to defend our way of life. It has been carried into battle, lifted in moments of triumph, and draped over the caskets of our fallen heroes. Congress should have the authority to protect the dignity of our flag from those who seek to desecrate it.”

National Commander of the American Legion James A. LaCoursiere, Jr. said, “The American Legion has a deep and profound respect for the American flag. All our members swore on their lives to protect the flag and uphold what it stands for. The American people also treasure Old Glory, and how it signifies democracy. They do not want to see the flag desecrated. The time has come for Congress to protect the flag through an amendment to the U.S. Constitution.”

Commander of the American Legion Department of Arkansas Antoine “Tony” Gordon said, “The American flag is a symbol of protection, freedom, and democracy, and we must consecrate and sanctify this national treasure, and punish those that desecrate it!”

Public Relations and U.S. Flag Chairman of the American Legion Department of Arkansas Keith Dover said, “The United States flag is a representation of all we hold so dear as a people, as a society, and as a beacon of hope in a troubled world. And when our symbol of greatness is unfurled at a sporting event, or on the side of a building just as it was on the Pentagon after the attacks of September 11, 2001, our flag proudly displays our heritage, our history, and our existence. From the words of Francis Scott Key with ‘One Nation Under God,’ to the words of Lee Greenwood, ‘Cause our flag still stands for freedom and they can't take that away,’—simply put, our flag must be protected, and punishment should befall those in our own country who choose to try and destroy it!”

Until invalidated by the 1989 U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Texas v. Johnson, 48 states had laws banning flag desecration. This proposal reinstates the American people’s power to protect our most important national symbol by granting Congress the authority to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag.

Members of Congress have routinely supported the passage of an amendment to allow for the ability to protect the flag. To date, a joint resolution giving Congress the power to prohibit the physical desecration of the American flag has been passed in the House several times with bipartisan support.

The reintroduction coincides with Flag Day, which commemorates the adoption of the U.S. flag by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777.

Read the text of the bill HERE.

Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) has represented Arkansas’s Third Congressional District since 2011. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

womack.house.gov

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