Austin Scott: “Mr. Speaker, without question, this is an extraordinary day, it is an extraordinary bill, is an extraordinary occasion.…”

“Mr. Speaker, without question, this is an extraordinary day, it is an extraordinary bill, is an extraordinary occasion. This is America, the greatest country in the world, and our flag represents greatness. To have now, finally, fruition, the manifestation of those precious words that were captured in the book of Exodus in the holy scriptures, where God said, the greatest and the first commandment in relationship of man to man were these words, ``Honor thy father,'' and then He said, ``and thy mother that thy days will be long in the land.'' Finally, today, on this day, June 11, in the year 2007, nearly 4,000 years since those words were written down and inscribed, we are finally recognizing fathers as well as mothers by making sure the flag flies not just on Mother's Day but on Father's Day as well. In the Hebrew language, the word for ``father'' is ``abba, ``and in the Greek language it is ``pater,'' and together those words mean the begatter, the progenitor, the source. But it also means provider and protector. It is no wonder why God in His wisdom said: ``Honor thy father'' and He put father first, and our mother, and now we are rectifying that situation.”