GovTrack’s Bill Summary
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H.R. 415 (111th): Fallen Heroes Flag Act of 2010
- Introduced:
- Jan 09, 2009 (111th Congress, 2009–2010)
- Sponsor:
- Rep. Peter “Pete” King [R-NY3]
- Status:
- Died (Passed House)
- See Instead:
- This bill was re-introduced as H.R. 926 (112th) on Mar 03, 2011.
The bill’s title was written by the bill’s sponsor. H.R. stands for House of Representatives bill.
Library of Congress Summary
The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress.
7/27/2010--Passed House without amendment.
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced.
The summary of that version is repeated here, with an updated short title.) Fallen Heroes Flag Act of 2010 - Allows the Representative of the immediate family of a deceased fire fighter, law enforcement officer, emergency technician, or other rescue worker who died in the line of duty to provide the family, at their request, with a Capitol-flown flag, together with a certificate, signed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Representative providing the flag, which contains an expression of sympathy for the family.
House Republican Conference Summary
The summary below was written by the House Republican Conference, which is the caucus of Republicans in the House of Representatives.
This summary can be found at http://www.gop.gov/bill/111/2/hr415.
Background
According to the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), the U.S. Capitol Flag Program was established in 1937 when a Member of Congress first requested that a flag be flown over the Capitol for a constituent. The AOC states that the “the focus of the program gradually expanded to encompass the commemoration of national holidays and various special events, as well as to honor the work of groups such as schools and civic organizations.” Often, Capitol flags are flown in honor of those who have died in the line of duty, whether military or civilian. Depending on the size of the flag, the prices range from $13.25 to $22.55 before shipping and handling. According to House Report 111-132, “Across the country, brave public servants selflessly put their lives at risk for the protection of others. On rare occasions, these fire fighters, law enforcement officers, emergency technicians, and other rescue workers make the ultimate sacrifice… A Capitol-flown flag would express national sympathy and gratitude to the families of those who gave their lives for others.”
Summary
H.R. 415 would authorize Members of the House of Representative to provide the family of a fire fighter, law enforcement officer, emergency technician, or other rescue worker who died in the line of duty with a Capitol-flown flag at no cost to the family. In addition, the legislation would authorize the Representative to provide the family with a certificate, signed by the Speaker of the House and the applicable Representative, containing an expression of sympathy from the House of Representatives for the family involved.
Under the bill, the Clerk of the House would be required to issue regulations for carrying out the requirements of the legislation within 30 days. In addition, the bill would authorize “sums as may be necessary” to carry out this act from applicable House of Representatives accounts.
Cost
According to CBO, implementing H.R. 415 would not have a significant impact on discretionary spending.
House Democratic Caucus Summary
The House Democratic Caucus does not provide summaries of bills.
So, yes, we display the House Republican Conference’s summaries when available even if we do not have a Democratic summary available. That’s because we feel it is better to give you as much information as possible, even if we cannot provide every viewpoint.
We’ll be looking for a source of summaries from the other side in the meanwhile.