Grand Old, High Flying Flag
On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution stating: "Resolved, That the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation."
That new constellation, of course, consisted of the 13 original colonies that were fighting for our independence at the time. George Washington is credited with saying, "We take the stars from Heaven, the red from our mother country, separating it by white stripes, thus showing that we have separated from her, and the white stripes shall go down to posterity representing Liberty."
In our history there have been 27 different versions of the flag. The current design with 50 stars has not changed since July 4, 1960 – the longest period that the flag has gone unchanged.
I support a constitutional amendment to prohibit desecration of the flag. Old Glory was meant to be flown proudly, not burned.
Burning the flag is a slap in the face to all that it stands for and to all those who defended it. In order to become law it needs to pass the Congress by a two-thirds vote and then be ratified by three-fourths of the states.
This Flag Day, I hope that you will take a moment and honor this great symbol of our nation. For more than 235 years it has flown over the land of the free and the home of the brave. We should treat it with the honor and respect it has earned.
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Sincerely,
Sam Graves
JUNE MOBILE OFFICE HOURS
Each month, my staff travels the Sixth District to discuss your concerns face-to-face with you. Because the district extends from the Missouri to the Mississippi, it is important that we make interacting with my office as easy as possible for you. You are invited to visit with a member of my staff in a town near you. The Mobile Office schedule for June 2013 is as follows:
Wednesday, June 19th
City Hall, Blue Springs – 10:00 a.m.
Thursday, June 20th
Public Library, Carrollton – 9:00 a.m.
Chariton County Courthouse, Keytesville – 11:00 a.m.
City Hall, Marceline – 1:00 p.m.
Tuesday, June 25th
Sullivan County Library, Milan – 9:00 a.m.
PC Café and Resource Center, Unionville – 11:00 a.m.
Schuyler County Courthouse, Lancaster – 1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 26st
City Hall, Buckner – 11:00 a.m.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
Graves now an elder in state's U.S. House delegation
By Ken Newton
St. Joseph News-Press
June 6, 2013
After Sam Graves took his oath for the first time in the U.S. House, he had a trio of experienced hands in the Missouri delegation to guide him past the barriers and customs of federal lawmaking.
Reps. Roy Blunt, Kenny Hulshof and Jo Ann Emerson, all Republican colleagues, had a collective 12 years of House service and a willingness to steward the new congressman.
Now, Mr. Graves, at age 49, finds himself on the other end of this experience spectrum. The North Missouri lawmaker has the longest tenure of Missouri Republican representatives and, along with Democratic Rep. William Lacy Clay, serves as dean of the state's House delegation.
"It takes a little while to get used to things around here," Mr. Graves said Wednesday afternoon. "You find somebody (as a mentor) and you try to absorb all that you can."