mr. speaker , i want to begin by commending the gentleman from california ( mr. cunningham ) xz4000910 for not only his extraordinary and courageous service to our nation in uniform , but for his ongoing service to our country in bringing this important legislation to the floor of the congress . 
i also want to thank the distinguished chairman of the committee on the judiciary on which i have the privilege of serving . 
the gentleman from wisconsin ( mr. sensenbrenner ) xz4003650 continues to provide leadership that reflects the values of the overwhelming majority of the american people to this congress . 
by entertaining this legislation and bringing this debate again to the floor , the gentleman from wisconsin ( chairman sensenbrenner ) demonstrates the quality of that leadership again . 
after surviving the bloodiest battle since gettysburg , a platoon of marines trudged up mount suribachi on sulfur island with a simple task : to raise an american flag above the devastation below . 
when the flag was raised by sergeant mike strank and his makeshift squad , history records that a thunderous cheer arose from our troops on land and sea , in foxholes and on stretchers , across iwo jima and its surrounding waters . 
hope was returned to that battlefield when the american flag began flapping in the wind . 
mr. speaker , it was written long ago : `` without a vision , the people perish. '' that day , on mount suribachi , the flag was the vision that inspired and rallied our troops ; and that flag , mr. speaker , is still that vision for every american who cherishes those who stood ready , and this day stand ready , to make the sacrifices necessary to defend freedom . 
by adopting the flag protection amendment , i humbly offer that we will raise old glory one more time . 
we will raise her above the decisions of a judiciary that was wrong on our law and our history and our traditions . 
we will raise the flag above the cynicism of our times . 
we will say to my generation of americans , those most unwelcome of words : there are limits . 
out of respect for those who serve beneath it and those who died within the sight of it , we must say that there are boundaries necessary to the survival of freedom . 
c.s. lewis said : `` we laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. '' mr. speaker , let us this day cease to laugh at honor . 
let us elevate out of dishonor our unique national symbol to its rightful place . 
let us pass this amendment to restore to old glory the modest protections of the law she so richly deserves . 
