Us Code § 2249b - Display of State, District of Columbia, commonwealth, and territorial flags by the armed forces

Full text of Us Code United States Code § 2249b — Display of State, District of Columbia, commonwealth, and territorial flags by the armed forces, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.

§ 2249b. Display of State, District of Columbia, commonwealth, and territorial flags by the armed forces

(a) Display of Flags by Armed Forces.—The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that, whenever the official flags of all 50 States are displayed by the armed forces, such display shall include the flags of the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

(b) Position and Manner of Display.—The display of an official flag of a State, territory, or possession of the United States at an installation or other facility of the Department shall be governed by section 7 of title 4 and any modification of section 7 under section 10 of title 4.

(Added Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title X, §1071(a), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2656; amended Pub. L. 105–225, §4(a)(1), Aug. 12, 1998, 112 Stat. 1498; Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title V, §588(a), (b)(1), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1768, 1769.)


Editorial Notes

Amendments

2013—Pub. L. 112–239, §588(b)(1), substituted "Display of State, District of Columbia, commonwealth, and territorial flags by the armed forces" for "Display of State flags: prohibition on use of funds to arbitrarily exclude flag; position and manner of display" in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 112–239, §588(a), amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "Funds available to the Department of Defense may not be used to prescribe or enforce any rule that arbitrarily excludes the official flag of any State, territory, or possession of the United States from any display of the flags of the States, territories, and possessions of the United States at an official ceremony of the Department of Defense."

1998—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–225 substituted "section 7 of title 4 and any modification of section 7 under section 10 of title 4" for "the provisions of section 3 of the Joint Resolution of June 22, 1942 (56 Stat. 378, chapter 435; 36 U.S.C. 175), and any modification of such provisions under section 8 of that Joint Resolution (36 U.S.C. 178)".

About This Section

10 U.S.C. § 2249b is part of Title 10 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.

This section may be cited in legal writing as 10 U.S.C. § 2249b. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.

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Sources

Source: official Us Code text · Last verified 2026-08-27

Frequently Asked Questions About Us Code § 2249b

What does United States Code § 2249b cover?

Section 2249b ("Display of State, District of Columbia, commonwealth, and territorial flags by the armed forces") is part of the United States Code, the codified statutory law of Us Code. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.

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Is this the official text of Us Code law?

No. This page is for research and education and may not include the most recent amendments. For official current law, check the Us Code official source linked on this page or consult a licensed Us Code attorney.

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Sources & Verification

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