Difference in State, Federal American Flag Rules Creates Inconsistency Within System

States and the federal government have different rules regarding the lowering of flags to acknowledge soldiers killed in the line of duty, prompting Congressman Bart Stupak to insist that the federal government change its policy.

Under the current system, a state governor can direct all state facilities to fly U.S. flags at halfstaff when a soldier is killed, but the federal government does not always follow suit.

This has led to unfortunate incidents in which some federal agencies lower their flags, but other federal agencies nearby do not, Mr. Stupak said in a letter to President George Bush.

In recent incidents, fallen soldiers from Michigan were honored with lowered flags in their hometowns, and at the sites of their memorial services, but not in surrounding communities.

The post offices in soldiers' hometowns were directed to lower their flags by the U.S. Postal service, but post offices in neighboring communities were

not, creating an uneven display of respect that Mr. Stupak called "unacceptable."

Mr. Stupak requests that all federal agencies within a given state lower their flags in such circumstances.

"We owe this to our troops and their families," he said.