“The bill before me today is Introductory No. 52-A, sponsored by Council Members Oddo, Lanza, Gallagher, Provenzano, Comrie, Speaker Miller, DeBlasio, Rivera, Sanders Jr., Nelson, Sears, McMahon, Baez, Jennings, Martinez, Vann, Quinn, Addabbo Jr., Gennaro, Avella, Stewart, Vallone Jr., Gioia, Yassky, Dilan, Liu, Monserrate, Katz, Davis, Jackson, Reyna, Weprin, Fidler, Serrano, Moskowitz, Gonzalez, Espada Jr., Gentile, Brewer, Felder, Clarke, Recchia, Gerson and Public Advocate Gotbaum.  This bill will require the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation to ensure that the POW/MIA flag is flown over all public property under the Commissioner’s jurisdiction, whenever the American flag is flown over such property.

“Thousands of members of the United States Armed Forces remain imprisoned or unaccounted for in foreign lands.  The POW/MIA flag was designed to honor and express the United States’ gratitude to American military personnel who are missing in action or who have been or remain prisoners of war. 

“This law will mandate that the POW/MIA flag initially be flown in 25% of all parks under the Commissioner’s jurisdiction.  This 25% requirement includes all parks that either bear the name of a veteran of the United States Armed Forces or include the word ‘Memorial’ in the park name, whenever the American flag is flown over such property.  Additionally, within three years following the law’s effective date, the POW/MIA flag will be flown over all parks whenever the American flag is flown over such property.

“I would like to acknowledge the work that Council Member James Oddo did to spearhead this bill through the City Council.  I also want to thank him for volunteering to reach out to groups and organizations in the private sector to help defray the cost of the purchase of these flags.”