Honor and Remember Flag Recognition Act
- Sponsor
- Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1]
- Committees
- Judiciary Committee (primary)
- Last action
- Feb 14, 2025
Bottom line
This bill establishes a national symbol and display requirements to officially honor members of the U.S. Armed Forces who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
What it actually does
This bill designates the Honor and Remember Flag, created by Honor and Remember, Inc., as an official national symbol to recognize and honor members of the U.S. Armed Forces who died in the line of duty. It mandates the display of this flag at numerous federal locations, including the Capitol, White House, national memorials, military installations, VA medical centers, and USPS post offices, on specific patriotic holidays and continuously at certain sites.
Proponents argue
Supporters argue this bill provides long-overdue national recognition for fallen service members, offering a unified and visible symbol of remembrance and gratitude for their ultimate sacrifice. They believe it ensures that the sacrifices of these heroes are consistently honored across the nation.
Opponents contend
While acknowledging the laudable sentiment, critics might argue against mandating a specific private organization's flag as an official national symbol, suggesting it could set a precedent for other groups or that a more generic, government-designed symbol might be more appropriate. Concerns may also be raised about the unquantified costs for procurement and widespread display across numerous federal facilities.
The bill is exceptionally short and written in clear language, making it very accessible for any reader to understand its provisions quickly.
Section 2(b), adding Section 904(a) to title 36, United States Code
Official Designation of the Honor and Remember Flag
This provision formally designates the Honor and Remember Flag, created by Honor and Remember, Inc., as the official symbol representing the nation's concern and commitment to honoring and remembering the lives of all U.S. Armed Forces members who have lost their lives in the line of duty. This establishes a singular, recognized emblem for this specific purpose under federal law.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that this designation provides a much-needed, consistent national symbol to honor the profound sacrifice of fallen service members, ensuring their memory is visibly and officially recognized across the country.
Critics contend
Critics might raise concerns about designating a flag created by a specific private organization, suggesting it could create a precedent for other groups seeking official symbols or that a more generic, government-designed symbol might be more appropriate to avoid perceived favoritism.
Tradeoffs
The tension lies between the desire to provide a specific, meaningful symbol for fallen heroes and the potential implications of officially endorsing a design from a private entity over a more universally developed or government-created emblem.
Section 2(b), adding Section 904(b) and (c) to title 36, United States Code
Mandated Display at Federal Locations and Specific Days
This provision mandates the display of the newly designated Honor and Remember Flag at numerous federal locations, including the Capitol, White House, national memorials (WWII, Korean War, Vietnam Veterans), national cemeteries, major military installations, VA medical centers, and all United States Postal Service post offices. It specifies display on key patriotic holidays (Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, National POW/MIA Recognition Day, Veterans Day) and continuously at certain memorials and VA centers.
Mandates the Administrator of General Services (GSA) to commence the procurement and distribution of Honor and Remember Flags within 30 days of the Act's enactment to ensure compliance with the display requirements.
Section 2(e)
Why it matters:This is standard legislative practice for placing implementation details. However, it implicitly carries significant unquantified fiscal implications.
Case for: This provision ensures prompt implementation of the bill's intent by initiating the necessary logistical steps for flag manufacturing and distribution, allowing federal agencies to comply with the display mandates quickly.
Case against: Without a specific appropriation, this mandate places an unfunded burden on the GSA and subsequently on the budgets of the various federal agencies required to display the flags, potentially diverting resources from other priorities.
Estimated impact: Will incur costs for flag manufacturing and distribution, potentially millions of dollars depending on the number of flags required for all specified locations (e.g., thousands of USPS post offices, VA medical centers, national cemeteries, military installations).
Requires the head of each department, agency, or establishment responsible for a location specified for flag display to prescribe necessary regulations to carry out the section within 180 days after enactment.
Section 2(d)
Why it matters:This is standard legislative practice for ensuring orderly implementation of new mandates through agency rulemaking.
Case for: Ensures orderly and consistent implementation of the flag display requirements across diverse federal entities by providing a framework for agencies to follow.
Case against: Adds administrative burden and resource allocation requirements to numerous federal agencies for drafting and implementing new regulations, potentially diverting resources from other priorities.
Estimated impact: Administrative costs for drafting, reviewing, and implementing regulations across multiple federal agencies.