Chronology: February 2, 2017

Rep. Steve Womack (R) of District 3, Arkansas, introduced House Joint Resolution (H.J. Res.) 61 into the 115^th Congress, along with 13 original co-sponsors, which aims at restoring Congress' constitutional authority over prohibiting desecration of our national colors. Womack is a veteran, who believes specific protections of the flag should not simply be law. They should be enshrined in the Constitution. The Constitution was last amended in 1992 with the ratification of the 27th Amendment, which limited laws regarding the raising or lowering of Congressional salaries.  Some opponents of a flag amendment would lead others to believe that the amendment, standing alone, will ban flag desecration – it will not – it is an enabling amendment. It would merely return to Congress the power to pass legislation that would protect the flag. It would only allow Congress to write a law that, like any law, would be subject to debate, required to be voted on by both houses of Congress, and subject to veto by the President