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H.R. 5772119th CongressIn committeeLatest action Oct 17, 2025Decoded by AI · checked against the record
Official title: Remembering American Hostages Act of 2025
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govThe plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
HR 5772 requires the Hostage and Wrongful Detainee flag at more federal sites and on four specific new dates tied to hostage events.
55-second read · 4 questions answered below
HR 5772 expands requirements for displaying the Hostage and Wrongful Detainee flag, adding four mandated dates: November 4 and January 20 (linked to the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis), August 19 (the 2014 death of journalist James Foley in captivity), and October 7 (the 2023 Hamas attack in which over 240 people including Americans were taken hostage). The bill also adds new required locations, including State Department offices, U.S. embassies and consulates, Justice Department buildings, and every location where Americans can apply for or renew a passport.
The bill directly affects federal agencies and the buildings they operate. It expands the list of officials responsible for flag display to include the Attorney General, Secretary of Education, Secretary of Transportation, and Secretary of Commerce.
Ordinary Americans would mainly notice the flag appearing more often and in more places, such as passport offices. The bill expresses Congress's opinion that state and local governments and airports should also fly the flag on the same dates and whenever a hostage returns home or is confirmed to have died in captivity.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.