When is the Flag Automatically Half-Staffed?

Question: When is the flag half-staffed automatically? Are there certain days when the flag is always half staffed? Answer: Yes, there are five 1) May 15 - Peace Officers Memorial Day: from sunrise to sunset (section 136 of title 36, U.S.C. (Reference (e)) 2 ) Memorial Day - According to the US Flag Code, flags are half staffed until noon only, at which point they are raised to full staff 3) September 11 - 911 Display your flag at half staff from sunrise to sunset. On December 18th, 2,001 President Bush signed public law No. 107-89 designating September 11th as Patriot Day. The people of the United States are asked to observe Patriot Day with appropriate programs and activities to honor the individuals who lost their lives. In observance, US flags should be displayed at half-staff from sunrise to sunset. Patriot Day should not be confused with Patriot’s Day, a regional holiday celebrated in New England on the third Monday in April which commemorates Paul Revere's "Midnight Ride" on April 19, 1775 and the battle of Lexington & Concord during the Revolutionary War. The Boston Marathon is run on Patriot’s Day every year. 4) Fire Prevention Week : Sunrise to sunset. It is a tad complex. For Memorial Day and September 11, the legislation includes specific instructions on when to half-staff the flag. With fire prevention week, Public Law 107-51 states: "Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled , That each year, the American flags on all Federal office buildings will be lowered to half-staff in honor of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service in Emmitsburg, Maryland." Then, The President issues a proclamation saying which date the flag gets half staffed. The 2008 proclamation "NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 5 through October 11, 2008, as Fire Prevention Week. On Sunday, October 5, 2008, in accordance with Public Law 107-51, the flag of the United States will be flown at half staff on all Federal office buildings in honor of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service. I call on all Americans to participate in this observance through appropriate programs and activities and by renewing their efforts to prevent fires and their tragic consequences." The 2002 proclamation - Notice once again the time honored tradition whereby The President may not order the flags of private citizens to half staff. He "invites" the people of the United States to participate in the observance by half staffing their flags. "NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 6 through October 12, 2002, as Fire Prevention Week. On Sunday, October 6, 2002, pursuant to Public Law 107-51, flags will be flown at half-staff on all Federal office buildings in honor of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service. I invite the people of the United States to participate in this observance by flying our Nation's flag over their homes at half-staff on this day, to mark this week with appropriate programs and activities, and to renew efforts throughout the year to prevent fires and their tragic consequences." 5) Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day - Sunrise to sunset, Public Law 103-308. Here is The President's 2008 proclamation: "The Congress, by Public Law 103-308, as amended, has designated December 7 of each year as "National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim December 7, 2008, as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. I encourage all Americans to observe this solemn occasion with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I urge all Federal agencies and interested organizations, groups, and individuals to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff this December 7 in honor of those who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor. An interesting observation on Pearl Harbor Day. It was signed into law in 1994 by President Bill Clinton. Here is a House resolution from 1999 that mentions "many Federal offices do not lower their flags to half-staff each December 7" Notice also that the law "requests" The President to issue a proclamation calling for flags to be half-staffed. The bold face emphasis below has been added by me. Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. (Introduced in House) HRES 392 IH 106th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 392 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 18, 1999 Mr. WELLER submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Whereas on December 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy and Air Force attacked units of the Armed Forces of the United States stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Whereas 2,403 members of the Armed Forces of the United States were killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor; Whereas there are currently more than 12,000 members of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association; Whereas the 60th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor will be December 7, 2001; Whereas on August 23, 1994, Public Law 103-308 was enacted, designating December 7 of each year as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day; Whereas Public Law 103-308, reenacted as section 129 of title 36, United States Code, requests the President to issue each year a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day with appropriate ceremonies and activities, and all departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Federal Government, and interested organizations, groups, and individuals, to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff each December 7 in honor of the individuals who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor; Whereas many citizens remain unaware of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day; and Whereas many Federal offices do not lower their flags to half-staff each December 7 : Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) pays tribute to the citizens of the United States who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, and the members of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association; and (2) urges the President to take more active steps-- (A) to inform the American public of the existence of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day; and (B) to ensure that the flag of the United States is flown at half-staff in accordance with section 129 of title 36, United States Code.