Former U.S. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., told Newsmax on Tuesday when he first entered Congress in 1993, the lawmaker whose seat he was replacing, retiring Democrat Robert Mrazek, gave him an American flag that had flown over the Capitol.
King told "American Agenda" it made him feel important, so whenever he presented Old Glory to a constituent as part of the Capitol Flag Program, "I always tried to show as much dignity as I could, because this is not something you want to do casually."
"It's not like giving a guy an autographed ball or something," King said. "This is what our country is all about. The flag means so much."
The program began in 1937, when a member of Congress requested a flag that had flown over the Capitol Building. The focus of the program is to commemorate holidays such as the Fourth of July and other special events, as well as to honor the work of veterans, law enforcement officers, schools, and civic organizations. The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) fulfills on average more than 100,000 flag requests from members of Congress each year. Each flag is issued with a keepsake certificate of authenticity by the AOC.
"This is one of the most enjoyable and memorable things you can do when you're in Congress," King said. "All the anxiety and troubles that go on, this is just a great moment.
"Sometimes you've been in politics or government or the media long enough, and you become cynical. But I found 99 out of 100 times, when the flag is presented to someone that actually has a certificate of being flown over the Capitol, it means a great deal."
About NEWSMAX TV:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.