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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.