John Thune: “I rise today as well to voice my strong support for a constitutional amendment that would allow Congress to prohibit the…”

“I rise today as well to voice my strong support for a constitutional amendment that would allow Congress to prohibit the desecration of the American flag. Some of the opponents have spoken today about how important it is that we not use this opportunity to amend the Constitution. The Senator from Illinois referred to the constitutional language, the constitutional sacred language, and question how we could alter what Thomas Jefferson and our Founding Fathers wrote. I simply point out that in the last 20 years, our colleagues on the other side have on over 100 occasions introduced constitutional amendments. In fact, there was one by the Senator from Illinois a few years back that would abolish the electoral college. So the question isn't whether we amend the Constitution for this purpose. It seems to me at least the question that has been raised about the Constitution comes down to one's preference for which amendments are in order and which are not. I have to say that I think an amendment to protect the American flag is in order, not just because it shares a majority and a strong bipartisan support in the Senate but because many of the people who were just alluded to by the Senator from Virginia who have fought and died on behalf of that flag want to see this flag honored. Look at the veterans organizations in this country--the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Veterans organizations are very much in favor of this amendment.…”