Nearly 250 years after the Second Continental Congress adopted a resolution establishing the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States, we mark another Flag Day celebrating Old Glory and the enduring freedom it represents. But this occasion also marks another year in which Congress no longer has the constitutional authority it once had to decide how our most sacred symbol should be protected.

The American flag is not simply a textile of red, white, and blue. Each thread binds together America’s history, culture, and diversity, and represents the unity, sacrifice, and resolve exercised in our nation’s biggest triumphs and tragedies. It is a symbol recognized worldwide by those longing for the freedoms we enjoy here at home.