WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) released the following statement in honor of Flag Day 2023.

“On June 14, 1777, The Second Continental Congress passed the Flag Resolution, which stated ‘That the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes. Alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.’ This image inspired Maryland’s own Francis Scott Key, to write the poem ‘Defence of Fort M’Henry’ in 1814, which we recognize today as the Star-Spangled Banner. Our young nation’s soldiers preserved in the ‘Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave’ in the Battle of Baltimore, which became a turning point in the War of 1812 against the British Empire, as part of our second American Revolution.

“The American flag represents unity, justice, and strength. It belongs to all of us. No one group of Americans can lay claim to it more than others. On this Flag Day, we also must remember that the struggle continues to build a more perfect union as outlined in the preamble to the Constitution:

‘We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution.’ 

“There are so many great things that we can say about our country and its people. But we also cannot ignore the oppression, struggle and inequities that still exist within our current society, and our government’s role – indeed obligation – to constantly strive to be better. To truly honor the flag and realize the vision it represents, we must confront and tell the truth about our troubled history and take concrete steps to make the present and the future better for all Americans. The flag should inspire us to serve as ambassadors of freedom, justice, equality and opportunity — the values that must guide our country and chart our course. We can then ultimately realize the vision of America, which includes all Americans and treats everyone with dignity and respect.

“As we take the time to recognize Flag Day, let us remember the complete and complex history of our nation, and continue to work toward an America that is truly ‘one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.’”