HR8694FEDERALIN_COMMITTEE

Proposed Law to Allow U.S. Flags to Fly at Half-Staff for the Mayor of D.C.

Original title: To amend title 4, United States Code, to permit the flag of the United States to be flown at half-staff in the event of the death of the Mayor of the District of Columbia.

June 11, 2024

District of Columbia Federal Law Flags Government Protocol

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Where This Stands

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Signed

Currently IN_COMMITTEE. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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The Frame

What this does

The bill changes federal flag protocol to grant the Mayor of the District of Columbia the same official mourning status as state governors, affecting how federal buildings display the flag during periods of bereavement.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Mayor of the District of Columbia

The office is added to the list of officials for whom the U.S. flag may be flown at half-staff upon death.

What changed

Current stage: IN_COMMITTEE.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Background

Ms. Norton is the non-voting Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives representing the District of Columbia. context

Summary

This bill updates federal law to allow the United States flag to be flown at upon the death of the Mayor of the District of Columbia. Currently, this honor is reserved for the President, Vice President, members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, and state or territorial governors.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Why It Matters

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this bill force flags to be flown at half-staff?

No, it permits the flag to be flown at , providing the legal authority to do so, rather than mandating it.

Who currently receives this honor?

Under current law, this honor is provided for the President, Vice President, members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Expansion of Federal Mourning Protocol

The bill seeks to align the District of Columbia's executive office with the status of state and territorial governors regarding federal mourning honors.

District of Columbia

Connected Entities

personMs. Norton“Introduced the bill in the House of Representatives.”Map →

bill_numberH.R. 8694“The bill's identification number.”Map →

locationDistrict of Columbia“The bill specifically addresses the Mayor of the District of Columbia.”Map →

bill_numberUnited States Code“The bill amends this legal code.”Map →

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance30
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy10
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz15
Current news / social attention level

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