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H.R. 465: Old Glory Only Act

This bill, titled the Old Glory Only Act, aims to establish a requirement regarding the flags that can be flown at United States diplomatic and consular posts. Here are the main provisions outlined in the bill:

Overview of the Bill

The bill stipulates that only the United States flag can be flown over any diplomatic or consular post operated by the U.S. government.
The Secretary of State would be responsible for enforcing this provision to ensure compliance.

Purpose of the Bill

The intent of this legislation is to maintain a uniform representation of the United States at its diplomatic missions worldwide. By limiting the flags displayed to only the U.S. flag, the bill seeks to present a consistent American identity and avoid any potential international conflicts or misunderstandings that may arise from flying additional flags.

Implementation

The Secretary of State would be instructed to oversee the implementation of this rule across all U.S. diplomatic and consular posts.
This would mean that any existing practices of flying other flags (for example, host nation flags or flags of specific states or regions within the U.S.) would have to cease.

Potential Impact

By formalizing this requirement, the bill could have implications for how U.S. embassies and consulates operate in terms of their internal and external communications and the symbols they use to represent the United States at their locations.

Compliance and Consequences

The bill does not specify any penalties for non-compliance, but the expectation is that the Secretary of State will take necessary measures to ensure adherence to the law.