Senate Declares June 14, 2004 as "National Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag Day"
Description
From the Congressional Record for June 14, 2004:
"But today is also special for another reason. As the resolution also notes, today is the 50th anniversary of the modern version of the Pledge of Allegiance. The pledge has come under attack in recent years, however. Two years ago, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the Federal court of appeals based in San Francisco, ruled in the case of Newdow v. United States Congress, 328 F.3d 466 (9th Cir. 2002), that the establishment clause of the first amendment of the Constitution forbids public school teachers from leading willing students in the voluntary recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, simply because the pledge confirms that our Nation was founded ‘‘under God.’’
The Senate discussed the benefits of having a National Pledge of Allegiance Day. "The majority opinion does state that, ‘‘as its history illustrates, the Pledge of Allegiance evolved as a common public acknowledgement of the ideals that our flag symbolizes. Its recitation is a patriotic exercise designed to foster national unity and pride in those principles.’’ This passage suggests that the majority would uphold the Pledge of Allegiance against constitutional attack under the establishment clause. I hope that that is ultimately what the Court will do. I hope that the Court will ultimately vote to uphold and protect the Pledge of Allegiance. "
"But today is also special for another reason. As the resolution also notes, today is the 50th anniversary of the modern version of the Pledge of Allegiance. The pledge has come under attack in recent years, however. Two years ago, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the Federal court of appeals based in San Francisco, ruled in the case of Newdow v. United States Congress, 328 F.3d 466 (9th Cir. 2002), that the establishment clause of the first amendment of the Constitution forbids public school teachers from leading willing students in the voluntary recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, simply because the pledge confirms that our Nation was founded ‘‘under God.’’
The Senate discussed the benefits of having a National Pledge of Allegiance Day. "The majority opinion does state that, ‘‘as its history illustrates, the Pledge of Allegiance evolved as a common public acknowledgement of the ideals that our flag symbolizes. Its recitation is a patriotic exercise designed to foster national unity and pride in those principles.’’ This passage suggests that the majority would uphold the Pledge of Allegiance against constitutional attack under the establishment clause. I hope that that is ultimately what the Court will do. I hope that the Court will ultimately vote to uphold and protect the Pledge of Allegiance. "
Date
2004-06-14
Type
Congressional Record
Source
U.S. Congress. Senate. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs,. Resolution Directing the Senate Legal Counsel to Bring a Civil Action to Enforce a Subpoena of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations: Report of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, United States Senate, on S. Res. 377. S. Rept.