A new law goes into effect this year that requires any American flag flying at a public building in Illinois to be made in the USA. KWOC recently reported on the law introduced by Mike Boland.
The American flag is the most recognizable symbol of our country and you might assume they're all made in the USA. But one Quad City lawmaker's discovery not only shocked him, it made him take action.State Representative Mike Boland says, "Caskets coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan had American flags on them, but they were made in China." Those Chinese-made flags draping the caskets of fallen American soldiers were enough to spur Boland into action. "To think that our soldiers were coming back and they don't even have an American flag made in America - it's just outrageous."
As a state representative, Boland can only change laws in Illinois. But the foreign-made flags gave him an idea. "There's so many things that aren't made in America anymore, but you ought to at least have the American flags that are used by the American government or state government to be American made. It's a matter of patriotism."
Other state lawmakers agreed, and as of Friday any American flag flying at a public building or in a public office in Illinois has to be made in the USA.
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