Norton Says D.C. Flag Day Today Also Commemorates Victory Won for D.C. Flag, Service Members and Veterans

WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will speak today Friday, June 14, 2103, at 7:00 p.m., in Dupont Circle, at the 3rd annual community-organized DC Flag Day rally to show her support for the groundswell of District residents who are self-organizing and coming forward to use the D.C. flag as a powerful symbol for their insistence on statehood and voting rights.

"Our D.C. flag has become a summons for D.C. residents of every age to demand their full citizenship rights," said Norton. "Each D.C. Flag Day, we have fun and use the flag – a natural symbol – for rallying our residents to fight for their full rights."

In January, in a victory in Norton's fight for D.C. equality, the President signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, which contained a provision Norton sought requiring the armed services to display the District of Columbia flag and the flags of the territories whenever the flags of the 50 states are displayed. "We have seen to it that our service members and veterans will never again suffer the indignity of not being properly honored with their state flag at military ceremonies," Norton said.

Published: June 14, 2013