Eleanor Holmes Norton: “Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I come to the floor with other Delegates to make a plea for respect that we are pleased to say…”

“Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I come to the floor with other Delegates to make a plea for respect that we are pleased to say that the House has already honored. Mr. Speaker, this House has seen many disagreements on many issues, and that's what the American people expect. We believe and the House has shown that it believes that some matters, however, are beyond dispute. There are some matters where unity is to be expected. These matters go to basic respect for our members of the armed services. The House, to its great credit, has already demonstrated that respect, and I want first to thank the Delegate whose provision, whose amendment, was chiefly responsible, Delegate Gregorio Sablan from the Mariana Islands, whose amendment has, I believe, twice been put in the House defense authorization bill that requires that when the flags of the 50 States are raised or honored by our Armed Forces that the flags of the Territories and of the District of Columbia also are honored. I want to also thank House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon and Ranking Member Adam Smith for putting this provision in the defense authorization bill that is now pending. This bill will be considered, I suppose, in conference by the House and the Senate. It is in the House bill. We regret that it is not in the Senate bill, and so the Delegates and I have come to the floor to ask that the Senate follow the lead of the House on this matter of common courtesy and respect.…”