Norton Requests Recognition of D.C. Flag at National Ceremonies (7/9/08)

Washington, DC-The Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today released a letter to Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne, requesting the addition of a flag pole around the Monument to honor the District of Columbia along with other states at future Independence Day ceremonies.

Norton's request follows the exclusion of the District during the Fourth of July celebration on the National Mall last week. Flags were raised to honor 50 states, but not for the District of Columbia, where the national celebration is held annually.

"We were informed that there are only 50 flag poles for the American flags which fly around the Monument on which the state flags are mounted. Of course, another pole could easily be added in recognition of the nation's capital, the city where the celebration is held," Norton said. "Although the District is not a state, congressional legislation almost invariably refers to the '50 states and the District of Columbia,' demonstrating that for most purposes, the District is not treated differently from the states...we ask that a pole be put up for the nation's capital for such occasions in the future."

The full text of Norton's letter follows.

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July 8, 2008

Dirk Kempthorne

Secretary of the Interior

U.S. Department of the Interior

1849 C Street, NW

Washington, DC 20240

BY FAX AND MAIL

Dear Mr. Kempthorne:

I especially want to thank you for the work that you have done on the Trust for the National Mall. I also appreciate that after several muggings on the mall, you joined me on a walk there to survey the area and the potential for improving public safety. We also appreciate and thank you for honoring the states on the Fourth of July.

I write now because we were saddened and surprised that the District of Columbia's flag was not honored at the national celebration on July 4th, along with others, even though the nation's capital is proud to be the site of this annual national celebration and works closely with the Park Police and the National Park Service to assure its success every year. You perhaps can understand that the citizens of the city would particularly appreciate having its flag raised at the Monument along with the flags of the citizens of other states. We were informed that there are only 50 flag poles for the American flags which fly around the Monument on which the state flags were mounted. Of course, another pole could easily be added in recognition of the nation's capital, the city where the national celebration is held.

Although the District is not a state, congressional legislation almost invariably refers to the "50 states and the District of Columbia," demonstrating that for most purposes, the District is not treated differently from the states. In any case, we ask that a pole be put up for the nation's capital for such occasions in the future.

Sincerely,

Eleanor Holmes Norton