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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The General Assembly believes that desecration of
3the flag of the United States is unpatriotic and shows a total
4disrespect for the freedoms that are enjoyed by persons living
5in the United States; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The United States Supreme Court in two 5 to 4
7decisions, Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989) and United
8States v. Eichman, 496 U.S. 310 (1990), declared that flag
9burning was constitutionally-protected free speech; and
 
10    WHEREAS, The General Assembly believes that the only way to
11permit the General Assembly to prohibit flag desecration is
12through an Amendment to the United States Constitution; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Several public opinion polls show that a majority
14of Americans favor a flag desecration Amendment to the
15Constitution; and
 
16    WHEREAS, The United States House of Representatives on
17several occasions has supported a flag desecration Amendment;
18and
 
19    WHEREAS, In 2006, the United States Senate fell one vote
20short of the two-thirds vote required to send a flag

 

 

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1desecration Amendment to the state legislatures for
2ratification; therefore, be it
 
3    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
4HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE
5CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge Congress to propose a
6Constitutional Amendment to permit Congress and the states to
7prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United
8States; and be it further
 
9    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this Resolution be
10forwarded to the Speaker of the United States House of
11Representatives, the President of the United States Senate, and
12each member of the Illinois Congressional delegation.